The New Girl in Brawl World
by EmilySamara
Summary: Well, obviously, a new girl comes to Brawl World. Just who is she, and why is she so close with four certain brawlers, especially Pit? And just what is this mysterious "brewing trouble" she speaks of? Will be very long. Rated T for a swear or two.
1. Bored No Longer

**Well, I hope you guys don't mind huge OCs. Hope you like it! And if you read this, make sure you are committed, cuz this will be very long.**

_Ughhhhhh!_ Thought Pit as he glanced sidelong into the Pool of Visions, a stone basin filled with holy water that allowed angels to view events currently taking place on the world. _This same fighting routine gets _so _old after two hours or so. I gotta take a break once in a while. _

"Why do we always fight, anyway," he grumbled aloud. "The swords don't cut, the arrows don't pierce…" He stopped short, and looked more closely. He blinked slowly. _No, _he thought, _that can't be right…_ A girl, a female angel who was strikingly familiar to Pit, was strolling along a white landscape under a dark, starry sky. After a while, she reached a cliff. It would have been a great jumping cliff-the thrill was great, and you would land in a safe area-except for what Pit liked to call The Wind-Chill Factor.

That cliff was unsafe for anyone, _especially _someone who could fly. Because if you had wings, and you simply jumped off that cliff without a care in the world, you would get man-handled by the wind. Pit, unfortunately, had learned that lesson the hard way-he had tumbled through the air with his wings closed for what seemed like an eternity before he broke through the familiar, windless pink clouds of Skyworld.

But the girl didn't know how dangerous it was. She only saw a cliff great for jumping. Frozen with shock and fear, Pit could only watch as the girl jumped. But he heard a sharp, sickening crack as the iron hand of the wind grabbed hold of her left wing and crushed it.

The poor girl dropped like a rock, screaming. The Skyworld Temple, where Pit was, happened to be almost directly below that particular cliff. Seconds later, a chalk-white, screaming girl blurred past the garden, down to the faraway ground. Adrenaline coursed through Pit's veins, and he jumped out of his temple and streaked toward the ground without a second thought.

Fear flashed in Pit's mind-in his desperate rush to catch up to the falling girl, he had neglected to spread his wings. He could die, but he was thinking only of the girl. _This is not a happy free-fall, _he reminded himself. Squinting from the fierce wind, he saw the ground come into focus, a short way away. He leaned forward and wrapped his arms around her, rolling below her as to absorb the impact of the fall himself. Her cloudy dark eyes focused for a split second, and she slipped her hand under his head. Pit twisted slightly sideways, and felt his arm snap as he hit the ground hard. He realized, vaguely, as slightly blurred figures came running, that she had cushioned his head.

"Pit! What… who…" Link stuttered. "Who is she?" he demanded.

"I… don't believe… it…" Pit whispered. "H-her… wing…"

"_Your _arm!" gasped Zelda.

"Help them! Look," said Ike. "She's going into shock!" Indeed, her pupils were large and dilated. "Pit, now would really be a great time to maybe explain…"

"Yeah, _so _not the time, Ike!" Zelda cried. "Just look at them! Pit, can you talk?"

"Y-yeah… she…" Pit struggled to form words.

Zero Suit Samus and Falco pushed their way through the crowd.

"This isn't a simple fracture…" Samus observed. "For either of you. Pit, really, what-…"

"You GUYS! Does it MATTER what HAPPENED?" Falco said incredulously. "Breaking a wing is like breaking…" Suddenly, the girl stirred. Her large, dark eyes opened. Link was good at deciphering feelings in eyes, and this girl was no exception.

Fear and pain. That was all. The girl's eyes held fear and pain.

"The… four… heroes…" the girl whispered. "White celestian… green warrior… red commander… and… the blue prince..." The girl slipped into unconsiousness, as did Pit.

Amidst all the confusion, Falco and Zelda carried the girl and Pit to the Isle of Healing (a kind of hospital where brawlers go when they get hurt) while Link and Zero Suit Samus rushed to the Lab, a small building equipped with high-tech laboratory equipment, to identify the girl.

**Well? How 'bout it? Please comment!**


	2. Revelations

**Well, hello there. New chapter!**

"You know, Samus, we sure get the best of all worlds here in Brawl World. Great high-tech stuff from Metroid, but beautiful forests from Hyrule." Link wondered why he was gushing like this. The situation was dire.

"What kind of World _do _we live in, Link?" said Samus while typing. "Poor little girls getting their wings broken by fierce and gusty winds… in broad daylight..."

"It wasn't exactly broad daylight," Link reminded her indignantly. He waited impatiently as Samus received the DNA reading from a strand of the girl's hair.

"And… great!" Samus said. "I've got the best description I can of her. She's even incorporated somehow into the Subspace Emissary and gotten her own single and co-op event with Pit. Her Overall Rating is an eight. _Still _hasn't beaten Marth… stupid nine outta ten…"

"And… _what's her name?_" Link said, not a _little _bit frustrated.

"Oh yeah! Sorry. Her name's Piana Emilia Shirann, but everyone calls her Pia. P-I-A. Here's her trophy description." Samus clicked on something. "A former member of the Seraph Sirens, Pia was a bit of an outcast in Angel Land for being a tomboy and for her stubbornness. When Team Triple A, led by the devious archangel Aegeus Harah, wreaked havoc in Skyworld, Pia helped Pit and a girl named Lyki gather the Three Sacred Treasures. Donning the Silver Armor, Pia helped immensely in defeating the archangels and allowing female angels to fight as well."

"Ooookay… how about we break that up." Link almost felt dizzy after all that juicy info. "What are the Seraph Sirens?"

"Well, seraphim are the six-winged angels who cover the face of the Lord, and sirens are beautiful mermaids whose singing lures fishermen to crash on the rocks. Although, in their species of angel, seraphim are young female angels. It looks like the Seraph Sirens are a club of seraphim who grew up into angels and practice singing all day."

"Samus Aran, you are brilliant! You know everything!" Link exclaimed.

Samus blushed modestly. "No, I just searched it on Google. But I'll say this: Snake and Saki Amamiya are the only people here with a higher IQ than me."

"All right," Link said. "Anyway... Pit _knows _her? Why didn't he tell us?"

"Um, reminder, Link," Samus said with an eye roll. "Pit was a little, ah, _indisposed _at the time."

"Oh, yeah. Who's Aegeus Harah?" But before Link's question could be answered, he suddenly thought about something more important. "Why did she come here?"

"Hmmm..." Samus muttered, typing away at the keyboard. "Let's see... ah, here. Since they made a new Kid Icarus game, she came so she could represent the series being better-known or something. Even though she doesn't actually exist in the real games. Just the World."

"I guess that's pretty average," Link said thoughtfully. Then he saw something on the screen: a language he hadn't seen in years.

Hyrulian. There was a box on the screen, cleverly disguised as an advertisement, written in Hyrulian. _Do not read aloud. Click when alone, _Link read. He was thinking of a way to get her out fast when she beat him to it.

"Hey, Link?" Samus said, waving her hand across his face. "I'm gonna go check on her. You coming?"

Link could hardly believe his good luck. "No, you go…" Link replied somewhat vaguely. Samus hesitated for a moment, then rushed out. As soon as he heard the door slam, Link hurriedly clicked the box. Instantly, the screen was covered by another screen, which looked somewhat like a letter. It was all in Hyrulian.

_Dear Link/Zelda, _Link read. _I chose to have this translated into Hyrulian because I trust you. I'm pretty sure you're Link, but just in case you're Zelda, tell Link this whole thing. Here is my story._

_Trouble is brewing in all of the video game Worlds involved with Brawl. I wasn't given much information besides that, except for that I was to unite four brawlers-the white celestian, the green warrior, the red commander, and the blue prince. Along with me, we would vanquish the brewing trouble in the Worlds, or something like that. I guess I'm not really good at writing stuff. Talk to me later, okay?_

_Piana (but call me Pia) _

_Well, _Link thought. _This explains a lot. _He felt weirdly calm. Suddenly, inspiration struck. He remembered her strange words: _White angel… green warrior… red commander… and the blue prince? Wonder who they are... _Again, Link had a burst of intuition.

"I'm the green warrior!" He said aloud. "And I bet I'm totally missing a point here... who are the other ones...?" Before he could mull this over any longer, someone burst into the Lab.

"Oh, good, you're still here!" said a very out-of-breath Falco. "Samus said to get you. It's the girl. She's talking in her sleep!"

**If you don't understand anything, feel free to ask. I will get back to you!**


	3. Sleeptalking

**WARNING! VERY LONG CHAPTER AHEAD! WARNING! LAST NEW CHAPTER FOR A WHILE! WARNING! MAY CONTAIN LOW-QUALITY WRITING!**

Link and Falco burst into the Isle of Healing, completely out of breath.

"What has she said so far?" Link asked, panting.

"Well, she's been enunciating more and more, and we're pretty sure that the next time she says something, we'll be able to understand," Samus explained. "But so far, she's just been mumbling, and we can't understand her."

"What does enunciating mean?"

"All right, who's the idiot who asked that?" Samus yelled angrily.

"Ah… me," Ike said sheepishly. It was the first time he'd spoken since Falco and Zelda had brought the girl in. Only two people had followed them: Peach and himself. "Oh, never mind," he said hastily. "You said her name's Pia?"

"Yes," Samus said.

"I think that's an Italian name... Emilia's Spanish," Peach said. "I should know."

"Hey, where's Pit?" Link asked. "You'd think he'd be here…"

"Yeah, you would, wouldn't you?" Falco said with a hint of bitterness.

"Oh, I don't know," Zelda said a bit sadly. "Angels heal quite fast… and he _was _here. He left when he woke up. He was a little…" She searched for a word.

"Disoriented?" Samus said helpfully.

"Yeah, that's it."

Link suddenly thought of something. _Pit's the white celestian! _He was so happy he almost blurted it out loud, although at the same time he was feeling a little silly for not figuring it out earlier.

"Nnn…" Pia moaned. "I need to see them… all of them… today… that's all right?"

"Wonder what she's dreaming about?" said a mesmerised Ike.

"He's… he's not there?" Pia murmured. "Doesn't… matter… even thirty-two… besides, save the best for last… right? He's the… second hottest…"

It seemed that she stopped talking when a chorus of 'Ooooookaaaayyyy's, '_So _unneccessary's and 'WHO?'s broke through the room.

"Shhhh!" Peach scolded. "This is getting interesting!"

Ike fiddled with the knot in his red cape that secured it around his neck. _Come _on, _Ike! _He thought angrily. _You're the commander of the Greil Mercenaries. Riddles are your element! _He thought of her last conscious words… _White celestian…green warrior…red…COMMANDER! _ Ike _knew _it had to be him. He hadn't gone to school for a day in all his seventeen-and-plus years, but some academic things he knew were strategy planning, colors, and riddles.

"Um, you guys?" Ike said, unable to contain his excitement. "You know how when she was awake, she said something about a red c—…" The excitement in his voice, plus the word "red", was all Link needed to hear.

"Whoa! Ike!" Link yelled hastily. "I just remembered! I've been meaning to tell you!" Knowing that Ike was a bit unbalanced in the brawn-versus-brains department, Link decided that he had to spell it out for him. Grabbing Ike's arm, he whispered in his ear.

"Ike, you're the red commander. I'm the green warrior, and Pit's the white celestian. Shut up about it now, I'll tell you more later." Link prayed Ike would understand, pulling away from him.

"What, Ike?" Zelda said eagerly.

"About a red commander," Ike continued, his excitement now unnoticeable. He slyly glanced at Link, "and then... the green and white and blue... How 'bout we work on that?" Link was surprised. He had underestimated Ike's prowess in strategy and quick thinking. _Probably comes from being a very strategy-savvy commander, _Link reasoned. _Gotta be careful in Fire Emblem World. No replacing dead people like in other games—and he's damn good at his job! No wonder the Greil Mercenaries are Crimea's top fighting force._

"Yes, we should," Zelda agreed, snapping Link back to reality. " I wonder who?"

_Maybe I actually _should _think about this, _Ike thought. But he remained silent.

"Well, let's see..." Link said carefully, not wanting to spread a false trail but at the same time not wanting to give away what he knew. "Maybe the 'blue prince' means some guy with a royal title... who's... sad?"

"Good idea!" Peach said brightly, as she always did. "But keep in mind that it could be a female…"

"No, Marth hasn't even seen her yet." Zelda sounded smug. Oddly, when everyone was getting settled in when they first arrived here in Brawl World two years ago, Zelda had accumulated a slight distaste for Marth. At first it was subtle—edging away slightly when they were close, changing direction when he walked by, et cetera. But lately, Zelda had been openly trash-talking Marth behind his back whenever she could, plus being mean to him when they were together. Marth was starting to catch on, but he tried to remain blissfully ignorant.

Sifting through this knowledge, Link saw Ike's face grow stony, his jaw clench, and his eyes grow cold. Ike could be very intimidating when he wanted to be, especially when people trash-talked his best friend. Link saw Zelda shrink back a little.

"And there are only about five girls here, counting Lyn," Ike said icily. "So if you would like to question the latter, why don't you?" He gestured toward the door.

"Chill, you two," Falco said coolly, before a full-fledged fight broke out. "I don't think it's a girl. Besides, she said _prince_. Let's use common sense, guys."

"Wait—it looks like Pia's saying something! Shhh!" Ike said suddenly.

"Well… I don't know. I guess he's all... mis... understood, hm? And the other... one lonely... one sad... one exhausted..."

"Yep, sounds like they're all guys," Falco said. "Well… I mean a male… it could be someone like Kirby or Meta Knight…"

"You're right, Falco," Samus said. "Good thinking."

"Although, it gives us a much wider array to guess from." Zelda reminded everyone.

"Well, maybe Snake?" Peach suggested hopefully. " He gets up at night a lot... maybe he'd be exhausted. And he never trusts anyone, so he might be lonely."

"I disagree. I don't believe Snake has any emotions." Link said. "And she said "second hottest". Snake is not hot. Well... actually, I guess I wouldn't know. I'm a guy."

"Great!" Ike said sarcastically. "One guy ruled out."

"Shhh!" Zelda scolded. "She's not done yet!"

"HIM?" Pia said about two octaves higher than she'd spoken before. "I hate _him _even _more _now! He's ugly and evil… and he's got a really weird nose!"

Link and Zelda looked at each other in alarm.

"What? _What?_" Ike said loudly. "I need to _know _things!"

"Ganondorf." Link and Zelda said, perfectly in sync, each thinking a silent "duh."

"WHAT?" Ike yelled incredulously.

"Well, he _is _a bad guy with a weird nose…" Samus grimaced.

"Yeah… I've broken it, like, fifty times." Link laughed.

"Speaking of which, has anyone seen him around lately?" Ike asked. "I haven't seen him for, like, a week."

"Well, he doesn't come out much anyway…" Link said. "Just at night mostly."

"Yeah, but Fox goes out at night a lot with me, and I haven't seen him… or Wolf, come to think of it!" Falco said. "See, one night, Wolf challenged Fox and I to a one-on-two at the Lake a week from then, at eleven. But when we got there, Wolf didn't come 'til twelve at night! We were about to leave, 'cause we figured he'd forgotten, but then we saw Ganondorf walking toward the shore. Then, Wolf's Great Wolfen—or so we call it—landed. Three people were in it: Wolf, of course; and two really hulking guys. Then Ganondorf got on, and they all took off."

"Well, _that's _a little ominous," Link said after a short pause.

"Are they back yet, d'you think?" Ike asked. "'Cause if they are, we got nothing to worry about…"

"Wait," Samus said quietly. "He challenged you, and then 'forgot' about it? He would have made sure you didn't see that happen. He couldn't have been so careless as to let you two see their supposed evil plan, so to say, take off. Maybe he's spreading a false trail." Having finished her observational speech, Samus fell silent, as did everyone else. Then…

"Samus… Aran…" Link was struggling not to burst with pleasure. "For the second time today, I say this: You… are… BRILLIANT! And if they _are _leaving a false trail, then whichever direction they flew…"

"Would be exactly where they're _not _going!" Falco finished. "They were heading toward the Worlds Teleporter. And the opposite of that would be the… the Frigate Orpheon stage, right?"

"We should go check if they're back, quickly," Peach suggested. "Link and Zelda could check on Ganondorf, Falco and I'll check on Wolf, and—"

"I'LL check the Frigate Orpheon," Samus said hastily. "Ike, you stay here in case… she wakes up, or something."

"'Kay," Ike said, sounding a bit glum. "You guys 'njoy yourselves…"

When everyone had left, Ike finally had a chance to think. _Pia's really pretty, _he thought. She had long brown hair, one part in a slightly messy high ponytail, with two other thick strands on either side of her face—Zero Suit Samus's style, except they all hung almost to her waist and she had no bangs. She had an olive, Italian-looking complexion and long eyelashes, and she was wearing a white sports dress down to her knees with a gold-and-brown belt and gold trim. She also had a matching wide headband, which was whitish gold. She had the same cuffs and bracelets on her arms and legs as Pit did. Her Greek gladiator sandals were again like Pit's, but hers were crisscrossed up her legs instead of covering her whole calves. She was wearing large white hoop earrings. _Peach is right. She prolly is Spanish-Italian. And prolly Greek too, like Pit is, I think._

Just according to what various people had said to Ike, he was blunt, ignorant, dumb, immature, rugged, rough yet passionate, illiterate, food-loving, freakishly strong, tough, and funny. Ike thought that maybe half those things were true about him. All of a sudden, Pia's hands clenched into fists, then relaxed. Then she opened her large, brown eyes and smiled at Ike. He blinked slowly.

"H-hello," she said in a steadying voice. "Um… where am I?" She sat up. Ike was staring at her like she had chicken drumsticks for eyes. "HEY!"

"Oh! Ah, um… the Isle of Healing. I-is your, um, wing okay?" Why was he so awkward with this?

"Oh… I remember. You're… you're Ike, right?"

"Yeah—I mean, yes, I am. And you're Piana, right?"

"Pia," she sighed. "It's Pia. Where is everyone?" She looked around.

"Some of the bad guys—er, enemies—have been gone for a really long time. Everyone who was here—Link, Zelda, Peach, Falco, and Zero Suit Samus—went to check on them."

"How come you didn't go?"

"Well, they said it was because you might wake up, but I know the _other _reason."

"Which is—?"

"They all think I'm stupid," Ike said quietly. Why was he telling her this? "Just because I've never been to school," he finished.

"That is a load of bull," Pia said confidently and bluntly. "I've heard a lot about you. You may be illiterate and not know many academic things, but you're the commander of the most strategy-savvy army in Crimea! You can do plenty of things! And you're _definitely _not stupid."

"Wow… thanks. Um, listen, do you remember when you were just about to pass out, and—…"

"Yes, Ike, you're the red commander." She looked slightly smug.

"How… what…when…"

"One at a time." She laughed.

"How did you know I would ask that?"

"I'm psychic." Pia watched Ike's eyes nearly pop out of his head.

"You're _joking_."

"Nope."

"_Prove _it."

"All right. Your next question is, 'Why did you say those strange words?' Link will tell you later."

Just then, Link and Zelda walked in.

"Ganondorf wasn't—whoa!" Link stopped short when he saw Pia.

"You're awake! How do you feel?" Zelda asked.

"Fine, thanks," Pia answered, looking slightly downcast.

"What's wrong? You look sad," Ike said.

"Hm? Oh, nothing… only, where's Pit? I thought he'd be here…"

No one quite knew how to answer her, let alone comfort her.

"Oh, never mind," she said with a small smile. "I'll visit him later."

"Um, aren't you a little freaked out?" Link asked. "I mean… _I _would have been. Are you sure you're all right?"

"A little sore, but otherwise I'm fine!"

"Good." Link smiled. He had always acted as a protector to the younger Brawlers here, and he was glad Pia was okay.

Peach and Falco trudged in, looking downcast.

"Wolf wasn't—whoa!" Falco perked up when he saw Pia.

"You're awake! How do you feel?" Peach asked.

Happy already, Link burst into laughter along with Zelda, Ike, and Pia.

"I'm really not getting the joke here…" Falco said cautiously.

"It's just… Link and Z-zelda said the _exact_ s-same thing when they c-came!" Pia was laughing so hard, she found it hard to speak.

"Ame-say with Nondorf-gay," Link said, recovering.

"Uh, what?" Pia giggled.

"You were talking in your sleep about Ganondorf, and we realized that we hadn't seen him in a while," Zelda explained. "Not since Falco saw him, Wolf, and two big guys get into the Wolfen and lead a false trail away from the Frigate Orpheon. We just sent Zero Suit Samus to check that out."

"What do you mean, big?"

"Oh, like large. Definitely not humanoids," Falco explained. "Well, guess I'll go now. Hope you get better." Falco said goodbye and left. After he left, Pia, Link, Ike, Zelda, and Peach tried to figure out who the fat dudes were.

"Well… they were teamed up with Wolf and Ganondorf, right?" Pia said. "That means they're bad too… wait! I've got it!"

"Who they are?" Link asked dubiously. "How do you know?"

"Well, _think_, Link!" Peach giggled at her accidental rhyme. "Think Subspace Emissary! The bad guys were Ganondorf, Wario, and…?"

"Oh! Bowser?" Link said. "And Wario was the other one?"

"No… this guy was bigger than even _him_. And that leaves only…"

"KIIIIIING DEDEDE!" Even Ike got that one, along with everyone else.

"You know, I really want to see Pit… I wonder why he isn't here?" Pia sounded glum.

"Um... he was a little freaked out, Pia," Link said quietly. "He didn't... not want to see you or anything."

"_He _shouldn't be that traumatized... _you _should be!" Ike said.

"Yeah, okay, how do you know what 'trauma' means and not know what 'enunciating' means?" Zelda half-laughed.

"Well, I… oh, never mind! I'm not _stupid_, you know! I'm the commander of the most strategy-savvy army in Crimea!"

Everyone looked mildly ashamed. Pia broke the silence.

"I'm going to visit Pit," she said, getting out of bed.

"Wait! Don't go yet!" Link said. He still had questions he wanted to ask her.

"You two wait for me at Common Square, Link and Ike, 'cause I know you have questions." Pia said. "But wait for the 'fourth one' first… let him come with you, 'kay?" She skipped out, humming a little tune.

"She may be a little strange, but she's neat." Link was starting to warm up to the quirky girl.

"I like her," Ike said simply.

Marth walked in, smiling. Zelda curled her lip and moved away hurriedly. Marth's smile faltered a bit.

"Hey, guys," Marth said. "Zero Suit Samus texted me. Said you had quite a story for me. I'm all ears…"

"You don't have to say _Zero Suit Samus_, Marth," Zelda said scathingly. Marth's smile dropped completely. "You could just say, oh, perhaps_ Samus_? Moron," she muttered under her breath. Her words cut into Marth like knives.

"I… didn't think it mattered so much…" Marth did a bad job of concealing his hurt feelings. "It's just… a name…"

"Oh, for the goddesses' sake! Jeez, I only called you a _moron_, you moron! You don't have to _cry _about it!"

"_He's not crying, you witch! You hurt his feelings!" _Ike snapped. Zelda shrank back behind Link, who clenched his fists.

"Care repeating that little comment?" Link said through his teeth. Marth put his head in his hands.

"Just… tell me… the freaking story!" Marth said slowly.

Link sighed. "All right. Don't interrupt, please. A girl angel just got her wing snapped by the wind on a cliff above Skyworld. Pit saved her, but she went into shock after saying, 'White celestian, green warrior, red commander, and the blue prince…' Samus and I found out that her name—Pia. She started talking about Ganondorf in her sleep, and we suddenly realized that he and Wolf had been gone for a while, along with Bowser and King Dedede. Zelda and I went to see if Ganondorf was back, Peach and Falco checked on Wolf, and we figured out that they were heading toward the Frigate Orpheon stage. Samus went to check on that… when we got back, Pia had woken up. Pit's up in his temple, traumatized, and Pia just went to see him." Link took a deep breath. _Wow, _he thought. _A _lot _of stuff just happened. _He looked expectantly at Marth. His facial expression had barely changed. That was one of his attributes—he was very calm all the time.

"Where were you, anyway?" Peach asked Marth.

Marth's face and eyes had a glazed-over look, and he was staring straight ahead. Now he shook his head, blinked and turned to Peach. "Thirty-two person tourney." He smiled again. "That's why I was smiling—I won."

"What were you up against—a bunch of Level 2's?" Zelda snickered.

Ike turned away. "I'm not even gonna try anymore…"

Marth looked Zelda straight in the eye. "Actually, it was Level 9-all. And I'd appreciate it if you'd stop insulting me."

"What-_ever_." Zelda rolled her eyes.

Lucas walked in, a bit timidly. "Um, excuse me," he whispered. He poked the ground with his shoe. He was always nervous to talk to the teenagers and grown-ups, besides the Pokemon Trainer.

"Yes? What is it, Lucas?" Peach asked kindly.

Lucas looked grateful. "Um… I was asked to give these to Marth and Peach…" He held out two envelopes with the words _Marth _and _Peach _written on them.

"Thanks, little guy." Marth took his envelope and opened it. It said:

_DO NOT READ ALOUD. Peach's note is a teaser to divert suspicion or something helpful like that. Take Link and Ike to Common Square—they'll explain._

"Awwww… what a cute picture of Mario and I!" Peach showed everyone the sweet pic of her and Mario standing in a big heart surrounded by smaller hearts.

"What's _your _picture—you and Roy?" Quickly, Marth pulled the letter out of her reach.

Zelda smiled like she knew something that Marth didn't. Marth sighed.

"Lucas, who gave these to you?" Marth inquired.

"Ummm… I don't know her name… long brown hair and wings… gotta go!" Lucas waved and ran out.

"Awwww… she barely knows me and she drew a picture for me!" Peach said, smiling.

"And she already hates Marth—ha!" Zelda laughed cruelly.

"Uh, hey, Link, Ike, wanna brawl?" Marth asked innocently. Usually he was better at lying, but he figured that Zelda and Peach wouldn't be too suspicious of him.

"Yeah, sure!" Ike and Link said in unison.

"C'mon." Marth, Ike, and Link left together.

**YEEEESSSS IT'S OOOOVER. Sorry I made you guys read all that! And yes, this will be the last chapter 'til I write a new one. Please comment! I enjoy reading them!**


	4. Reunion and Randomness

**Okay, some problems with this chapter: it's basically just everyone randomly talking and getting to know Pia, some boring description to give you a backstory of "my version", and some confusion about ages. Otherwise, enjoy!... (I hope...)**

When Pia left the Isle of Healing, Pit had just finished praying to Palutena. He was so confused. _Why? _He thought. _Why didn't she tell me she was coming? Or even communicate with me for the past two years? Why couldn't I have saved her earlier? Why is she even _here_? _He hadn't seen her for two years… not since he came here, to Brawl World… how could he ever face her? He didn't have much time to think about this, as the temple doors opened at that second…

Pit turned around. There she was, still _her, _only with longer, straighter hair, even tanner skin and more gold cuffs and bracelets. Her face hadn't changed a bit—she still had a childish demeanor and her dark brown eyes. Pia smiled. _He hasn't changed a bit, _she thought. _Good. _She walked toward him, and they hugged. Just a quick one, but Pia felt warmth spread through her body.

"Look, I'm sorry…" Pia said, understanding what he was thinking. "I can't really explain, but I'm sorry I didn't tell you…"

Pit wasn't fazed by her psychic communications—he was used to it. "Wow," he said glumly, "you really _are _as crazy as you look! I mean, you just… well… and you _know_ I was watching you! I just _watched_!"

"Oh, Pit, you're too _serious_! You were watching me for like two minutes! I've been checking up on you a lot!"

"Really?" Pit was surprised. "You care that much?"

"Well… yeah," Pia looked a little nervous—she looked like that when she was afraid she'd done something wrong. "You're my best guy friend! And, come on, this is a _world _of fighting! But I suppose you can handle yourself, now that I got invited!" She was smiling widely at the end.

"You'll… be here now? Wow! You're a _character _now?

"You bet. Now, how 'bout we go down and ex-pil-aaain, perhaps?" She smiled devilishly and jumped out the door. Pit followed, feeling like a huge weight had just been lifted from his back.

...

"Um, actually, Marth, I just remembered… Ike and I have to be somewhere soon… can we do this later?" Link said to Marth. They were just out of earshot of the Isle of Healing and were walking toward Common Square.

Marth turned suddenly and faced Link and Ike. "Yeah… I know. You have to meet that girl, right?"

"Wha—you already know?" Link was appalled. "But… that means…"

"Look. All I know is that I'm supposed to take you two to Common Square and you'll explain."

"Marth… she—Pia—was talking in her sleep... What did your letter say?"

"I just told you," Marth said patiently. He sat down on a bench. The others followed suit. "It said to take you two to Common Square, and you'd explain."

"Why, that little fox! She had all this planned! Argh… I feel like a fool!" Ike yanked at his hair.

"Well, I wonder if she knew if she'd break her wing?" Marth wondered.

"She can read minds, not tell the future." Ike then remembered what he had neglected to tell them.

"R-read _minds_? Really? Well, _that _probably made it a bit easier to plan!" Marth looked more surprised now than he had when they had first told him about Pia.

"Some of my old friends from Fire E World couldn't read minds per se, but they could sort of see into your heart. We called them the heron siblings—Leanne was the youngest, Reyson was in the middle, and Rafiel was the oldest." Ike looked a bit nostalgic.

"Well, how come _Pit _can't read minds? He's an angel too, right?" Marth said, one step ahead of everyone else as usual.

"Well, whoever said _all _angels could read minds? Maybe it's just her," Link said.

"Well, hold on a second," Ike stated, with a tone that suggested that he would be talking for a while. "Reyson, Leanne, and Rafiel were called Bird Tribe Heron Laguz. In those specifics, they had white wings, _really _long blond hair, and ears like Link's. They were about as close to angels as you can possibly get, and they could all do that heart-reading thing. So if they could _all_ do that little, modified version of mind reading, and angels are stronger and purer than them, probably all angels can read minds. Of course, that still doesn't explain why Pit can't."

"Wow, Ike!" Marth shouted happily. "That was _such _a great hypothesis!"

"What's a hypothesis?"

Marth sighed. "An educated guess based on data."

"Hey," Link said. "What's that?" He bent down and picked up a gold necklace. It had a short, gold chain with some foreign writing at the end.

"Dunno. Maybe it's Pia's," Marth suggested.

"You know, I never understood how you two became best friends," Link said. "For one thing, you're total opposites, plus you're from totally different time periods!"

"Well, we did know each other before we came here, plus we sort of bonded 'cause we were from the same game," Ike explained.

"That's when I feel sorry for people like Pit," Marth said sadly. "He doesn't have anyone… he must be lonely."

"When do you think Pia'll come back with him?" Link asked.

Marth looked at the sky. "Speak of the devil."

Pit and Pia carefully glid down. Pit looked relieved. Pia looked like she would faint from happiness—_Why? _Link thought.

"Hey, angel people," Ike said happily. "It's about time! We were about to send up a search party!"

Link threw up his hands. "I ask one teeny question…"

"Hey!" Pia exclaimed suddenly. "You've got my necklace!" She pointed at Link's hand.

"Here," he said, handing it to her carefully.

"Hey, don't I get introduced?" Marth asked good-naturedly. He held out his hand. Pia took it eagerly.

"Hey... you kind of look familiar," Marth said, peering closer at Pia. "I think I saw you in a dream once."

"Really?" Ike said, sounding surprised. "I thought you never dreamt."

"I usually don't dream," Marth explained to Pit, Pia, and Link. "Not since I was fourteen and still aging."

"What? 'Still aging'?" Link asked. "I thought… you aged normally… I mean, my game makes sure I'm always either twelve or ten or seventeen, but…"

"Well, if you're actually _in _a game, like Ike and Roy and I, you stop aging at your prime win of game time, or around the middle. In my game, I should be around twenty-one now, 'cause that's how old I was at the end of my last game. But some people _have_ to die, like my ancestor, Anri. Others just don't _want_ to stop. Ike was twenty in his last game, so we're told, and two years have passed since we came here, for the record. Also, figure this: Ike was born in the year 555, and I was born in the year 556. So, if we aged normally…" Marth paused again, perhaps for a different reason.

"I've been alive for… let's see, the year 710 in Fire E…" Marth muttered to himself. "I'm… a hundred... and fifty-four… years old… wow. Ike, you're one hundred and fifty-five years old, but _I'm _sixteen forever, and… _you're _SEVENTEEN forever!That is just screwy! It's, like, you'll always be a year older than me, physically and actually..."

"And Marth's taller than Ike…" Pia noted with amusement. "Marth's six-foot, and Ike's five-ten. But you slump all the time, Ike! And Marth has perfect posture! So you look, like, five-eight."

"Ouch…" Marth smiled in Ike's face. "Burn, Ike. You got burned _bad_."

Ike thumbed his nose at Marth. "Yeah, but I'll _always _be seventeen, and you'll _always _be sixteen! Nyah, nyah! Fail, Marth!"

Pit had been very quiet the whole time, and now he spoke up. "Hey, you guys? You do realize I'm older than _all _of you, right?"

There was a pause, and then Link said, "I thought you were only fifteen. You're the youngest." It sounded more like a question than a statement. "And the shortest."

"Yeah, I'm five-five. But didn't we just have a conversation about how Marth was sixteen and taller than seventeen-year-old Ike? And besides… you guys have no idea _when_ Iwas born. We age weird... we really don't have, like, _years _in Skyworld... just days and nights. And astrology... I'm Sagittarius. But judging by Overworld years, I'd say I'm around... roughly five hundred and fifty years old."

"Wow…" Ike said. "Hy-perventilating, everyone. Ike is hy-per-ven-til-a-ting!"

"Way to _announce _it when you're not _even_." Pit muttered.

"How about _you_, Pia?" Marth asked dazedly. "How old are _you_?

"Ummm…" Pia looked at the sky. "Twenty?"

"Sure sign of insanity: not _knowing _how _old _you are!" Link teased her good-naturedly.

"Well, I agree, but we have _much _shorter years than you, and besides, I, like, don't even know what _year _it is in Skyworld." Pia put her hand over her eyes and smiled. "My life is _so _screwy!"

_You can say _that _again, _Pit thought.

"So screwy, Pit," Pia repeated.

"So, Pia's going to be a character here now. In the slots, they're bumping R.O.B. to Snake's column and splitting Random and R.O.B. in half. I think they might be expecting some more Kid Icarus's, but I doubt it." Pit explained.

"And I did a _bunch_ of research on like all the characters and stages. My favorite stage is probably Spear Pillar. It's so cool! The Frigate Orpheon's neat too. What are you veterans's favorite stages?" Pia said.

"Well, I like Skyworld. It has a quirk, but not, like, a dangerous one like Norfair. And it's so pretty!" Everyone was surprised that Link didn't mention the Bridge of Eldin or the Pirate Ship.

"I like Castle Siege," Pit said. "I don't really have a reason, but whenever we do Random, and it's Castle Siege, I'm always, like, 'Yes!'."

"I don't have a favorite," Marth said, surprising everyone even more.

"Man!" Pit said, appalled. "Not even Castle Siege?"

"Nope. Makes me too nostalgic. How 'bout you, Ike?"

"I like the Bridge of Eldin," Ike said. "Just calm enough so that you can concentrate on brawling, but just enough pizzazz so that it's not boring."

"Pizzazz?" Pia laughed. "Of all adjectives, why 'pizzazz'?"

"Why _not _'pizzazz'?" Ike countered.

"Oh, yeah, it also doesn't make you show off your horribly suckish jumping," Pia taunted him.

"Whaaat? My jumping isn't suckish!"

"Um, actually, it is. Ike plus jump equals suck." Pia paused, and then stepped a tiny bit too far. "And your running, too." She jumped up just as Ike pounced. They ran all over the square, dodging benches, tables, and fountains.

"Can't catch me!"

"You're in trouble when I do!"

"Oh, please, sucky runner!"

Marth, Link, and Pit cheered Ike on, seeing as Pia didn't have a cheer. "We like Ike! We like Ike! We like Ike!"

"Shut! Up!" Pia yelled as she and Ike collapsed in laughter.

"You never did catch me." Pia taunted.

"Oh, I will," Ike laughed as Marth, Link and Pit joined them.

"Ahhh… I think I needed the exercise," Pia stretched as she talked. "But now I'm all tired…"

"Lazy, lazy, lazy. When I was little I ran all over the place chasing goats," Link reprimanded her.

"Well, yeah. You were a rancher."

"That happens to be my name. Link Outsetian—for the Outset Islands—Ordono, for Ordon Village, and Rancher, 'cause I was, well, a rancher. Duh."

"Link Outsetian Ordono Rancher…" Marth mulled it over, then went on in a British accent. "Simply _smashing _to make your acquaintance, young knave! I go by the title of Prince Marth Lowell of Altea, Descendant and Reincarnation of Anri, Wielder of the Blade of Light: the shining Falchion!"

There was a momentary pause. Afterwards, a passerby would have thought a small explosion had taken place. In reality, it was howls of laughter.

"I d-didn't know your l-last name was Lowell!" Pit said, still giggling. "But couldn't you have just _said _that instead of _singing _it?"

"That's what my dad would have said. I've wanted to pull it for _ages_."

The word _ages _reminded Link of the forgotten Aegeus Harah. When he thought the name, he felt a chill. Pia looked at him and sent him a message with her eyes. _Not now_. Even so, Link felt the jubilation from Marth's speech leave him.

"Link? Something wrong?" Marth asked.

"I'm fine. Just a little cold is all."

"How can you ever be cold in that winter getup?" Ike asked. "You must be hot all the time."

Link sighed. "I'm hot all the time _any_way. Nothing can possibly make me warmer than I already am."

"It's so funny," Pia said, smiling. "Do you guys realize we just went from talking about dreams to talking about body temperature—with like a million things in between! I love that."

"Yeah… strange as it seems, some people might find it annoying. Can you be_lieve _that?" Marth said with fake incredulism.

"Fabulous, Marth. Real witty," Pia said dryly.

"Hey, Marth, does anyone ever call you 'Marthmatician'?" Pit asked fairly randomly.

There was a silence. Marth delicately pressed his hand to his forehead. "Pit…"

"I mean, it could be a good screen name," Pit went on, blushing slightly. "What _is _your screen name, anyway? I need to add you." He pulled out his phone.

"I didn't know you had a phone, Pit!" Pia exclaimed. "I could have called you!"

"Sorry. You can buy one over there." Pit gestured toward the shops on the left wing of Common Square. "Speaking of which, I should show you around." He started to get up.

"Oh, no," Marth said, pulling him down again. "Nooo more subject changes. You. Are. Adding. Me." He took Pit's white-and-gold phone and started typing. "Marth: Falchion_FTW and... yeah, fine, I'll make another with "Marthmatician". There. It's pretty simple, ya know." He handed Pit's phone back. "Hey, we'll _all _show you around, won't we, guys?" He pulled up Ike and Link.

"Yeah, great!" Pit said. He started walking toward the center of the square. "Okay, this is Common Square, as you probably know." He pointed north. "Up there, those're the game stages. You know, Spear Pillar, Frigate Orpheon, and all that." He pointed left, to the west. "Over there's the shops and lounges and restaurants; I'll show you around there later." He turned south. "That's the…"

"Worlds Teleporter, I know," Pia interjected. "I came in on that…"

"Yeah, and that's where the Lab and the Isle of Healing are, too," Link added. "All the 'serious' businesses."

"Yeah, and to the east—ah, right—those are the Subspace Emissary stages and _most_ of our homes. I mean, the bad guys have houses too, but they're sort of nomads, if you know what I mean."

"Where do you guys live?" Pia asked.

"Ike and I live in different parts of the ol' Battlefield Fortress," Marth said. "It's modeled after my old castle. It's actually pretty nice on the inside."

"I live in a kind of shrunken replica of the Zelda world," Link said. "You don't really get to see it in the Subs, but it's a remake of Zelda's castle, with a lagoon that flows into the Great Sea for Toon Link's Pirate Ship. There's a remake of the road to the Bridge of Eldin, and it's surrounded by the Forest of the Master Sword. Well, that's what Toon Link calls it, anyway."

"Yeah… guess I don't really have to explain. It's a little remake of Skyworld's main temple, with a little garden. I live in a little house in the garden, and… I guess now you do, too." Pit half-smiled at Pia.

The big clock in the middle of Common Square gonged eight times.

"Whoa," Link said. "All that only took…"

"Two hours," Pit finished.

"Hey, did anyone here have breakfast yet?" Ike asked, rubbing his stomach. "I could eat a horse!"

"So what else is new?" Marth mused.

"Just because _you _never eat anything doesn't mean you can make fun of me!" Ike said indignantly. "Say, Pia, we could show you around the restaurants now… but we eat first!"

"'Kay, that sounds great!" Pia got up and stretched again. "What's cookin'?" She giggled.

"Hmmm…" Pit thought. "Where should we go?"

"Anyplace that doesn't serve link sausages," Link said quickly. "It feels so cannibalistic."

"Having said that, Link," Pit said. "How do you think _I _feel about angel food cake and… angel hair pasta?" Pit shuddered involuntarily.

"Okay, okay," Ike held up his hands. "No link sausages. No angel food cake. No angel hair pasta. And no Mike n' Ike candies. Have I pleased everyone?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Pia said. "In that case, we should stick to pancakes."

**Not gonna be much time for updates. So I'm sorry to leave you with that not-very-good chapter. I'm sorry. Please stay with me!**


	5. Manorexia and Prejudice

"Okay, so it'll be four orders of pancakes?" Jimmi, the Alloy waiter, asked.

"Yes," Marth said hastily. "Thanks, J."

When he left, Pia asked, "Aren't you guys a little scared of him?"

"No. Of course not!" Ike answered. "We've been here two years! Besides, he never scared _me_."

They were seated in The Morning Mover, a large and prominent breakfast café. Fox and Falco were seated near the colored fountain in the center, Snake and Saki Amamiya were discussing weapon choices by the counter at the back, and Toon Link and Lucas were having a soda-chugging contest in the far right corner.

"Just the way I like it," Pia remarked. "Just crowded enough so that we aren't all alone, but not crowded enough so it's loud and the service slows to the stuttery crawl of a turtle carrying a platter of appetizers."

Pit laughed. "Stuttery crawl," he chuckled.

Link "tsked" and sighed in disdain at the two laughing little boys. "Soda-chugging contest at eight A.M.?"

"C'mon, Link, they're just havin' fun." Ike said.

"Yeah, well, Zelda and I are his parental figures! I should go over there and stop him!"

"Uh, Link," Marth pointed out. "He's twelve. You're... seventeen. Think of the two of you as _brothers."_

At the boys's table, loud cheering erupted from Toon Link. Apparently, he had won.

Ike called over to Toon Link, "Way to go, little dude."

"Thanks!" Toon Link cried. "Who da man? I da man! Who da man? _I _da man!"

Lucas smiled weakly in defeat. "Ugh... that's gonna take a looong time to dissipate..." Brawl Food couldn't actually support people who weren't from games. It just tasted good, and brought your fighting percentage down if you were fighting. The residents of Brawl World, while they were in Brawl World, couldn't starve to death, die of thirst, or even digest large amounts of real food. (Or any food, for that matter.) They could, however, get hungry or thirsty, depending on their level of humanity. When brawlers were hungry or thirsty, Brawl Food did support them.

After Pit, Pia, Ike, and Link finished eating, they noticed something.

"Marth!" Ike cried. "Don't you _ever _eat?"

Marth looked slightly queasy. "Not... not hungry."

"Yeah. Sure. More like, _never_ hungry, you... you manorexic!"

Pit, Pia, and Link "oohed." "Ouch," Pit said.

"I'm not a manorexic! I'm... ummm... had a bad experience... ummm... it involved, um, rotten French toast that I had already eaten... half of."

"Ah," Link summed up. "So you're still recovering?"

Marth was a delicate shade of green. "Ugh..."

"What's wrong, prince man?"

Everyone turned around simultaneously. Standing there was Saki Amamiya. He sat down next to Pia.

"New girl, huh?"

"Oh, wow! You're Saki, aren't you? Saki Amamiya."

"Did your research, didn't you?"

"Uh-huh! From 'Sin and Punishment: Successor to the Earth'—right?"

"Whoa!" Saki did a double take. "You really _did _do research!"

"Dude!" Ike gaped at Pia. "There's a fiiine line between simple research and obnession!"

"_Obsession, Ike!_" Marth whispered loudly. "_Obsession!_"

Ike blushed. "Fine. _Obsession!_"

"And actually, it's really _not _an obsession. I really need to find out more about your game," Pia confessed. "I hardly know anything about it."

Link noticed that Saki looked a little relieved... and a bit embarrassed.

"What were you saying to Snake?" Link asked.

"Oh, you know... whether it was better to have a main weapon, like a Cannon Sword, like me, or if it was better to have a bunch of different choices." Saki paused. "Then again, you've got both, right, Link?"

"Yeah. Although Snake says that gear is 'only useful in the right time and place'. Wow, he burned himself..."

"Yeah, well, your Cannon Sword is a gun and a sword all in one," Marth pointed out. "It's kind of an arsenal, 'cause you can choose: gun part or sword part?"

"Well, yeah, but that's not it. It's still my main weapon—it's named the Dolphin Gun—but you do have a point."

"Hey," Pit spoke up. "Where'd Snake go, anyway?"

Everyone looked around. Solid Snake was nowhere to be found. "I didn't see him leave," Ike said. "Cool."

"Ah, you know him. Probably off to train slash pick-a-fight-with-Sonic," Saki suggested. "And he's always doing that dramatic 'I'm-being-chased-I-need-to-use-my-camera-thingy-and-get-out' thing."

"You guys, it's 8:45. We should leave," Ike said. "We don't want to get chased out or something."

"Yeah, you better get going. Hook and Line'll be freaking out. Although, that really doesn't bother me. It's Sinker who scares me." Hook, Line, and Sinker were the restaurateurs and chef, respectively, of some of the restaurants in Brawl World. Hook and Line only had short, fiery tempers, while Sinker's vacant, white-showing, staring-in-different-directions eyes and creepy smile tended to freak people out. They were hated by all, but they made good food.

Pia pulled all that from Saki's mind. "Oh, I get it. Hook, line and sinker. Ha ha. Clever."

"Uh-huh." Link looked up. "Oh, crap. Speak of the devil."

"Hey, you brats! Ya gonna order sumptin' else, or what?" Line's matted red hair reminded them of a drowned red fox. Her already ugly, blotchy face was made no prettier by her anger. "Ya think yac'n just _live _here? We got custamas waitin' fer seats!"

Pit didn't eat here much, so he wasn't all down with the "unwritten rules". "Excuse me, but we're having a conversation. Could you leave us alone, please? We're not bothering anyone. And... I don't see anyone waiting for seats."

Line frowned. "Oh, I seen ya 'round the skies. Yer that kid cherub-thing that just gotta come here fer no reason. Well, I got news fer ya, ya stupid ova-grown seagull! Ya can't just come down from dat heaven-place'n 'spect us all ta love ya!"

"I..." Pit stammered. "I didn't..."

"I..." Line mimicked Pit. "I din't... well, ya know what yac'n do? Yac'n-"

"Um, _you _can shut up and quit harassing us," Pia said. Line stopped shrieking and gaped at Pia with her toothless mouth hanging wide open.

"Yeah. You heard me. What, you gonna kick me out?" Pia raised her eyebrows, silently challenging Line to a mental duel.

Pia won. With a "harrumph," Line pivoted messily, almost fell over, and stomped away with an even greater "harrumph."

"Wow. I've never seen anyone mouth off to Line before..." Pit said, sounding mildly impressed.

"Well, I guess we'd better go now," Pia said, blushing and standing up hurriedly.

After they left, Pia exhaled sharply. "I've never mouthed off to someone like that before... I mean, I've always wanted to, but..."

"Hmmm... well, try to control yourself. You don't want to get a bad reputation here," Marth said wisely.

**...Good ending point? Anyway, gives you some more hints to Pia's personality. And Saki will return, the sole reason being that he is AWESOME!**


	6. Never Saw This in SSBB

"Okay. That was one of about five breakfast-esque places," Pit explained to Pia as they left. Saki waved good-bye, then went on his way to his house in the housings for the Assist Trophies with no fighting representative. "The others are all next to it in a row, as you can see."

"When you think about it, that's actually pretty stupid," Ike commented. "Five different places all doing the same thing, all next to each other?"

"Well, yeah, but it doesn't matter, 'cause, well, there's no _money_ involved," Link explained. "'Cause we can just get magic people like Zelda or... I dunno, someone else, to get the materials and stuff. Free labor."

"And we have Alloys to do stuff for us," Pit said. "They don't care if they get paid or not."

"Yeah. It's easier here than most places. Just think—we even have access to all the _stickers' _home Worlds," Marth pointed out. "Banana shipments from Donkey Kong, medieval weapons from ours, Fire Emblem... even cool high-tech stuff from Metroid and Successor to the Earth. Us and Kingdom Hearts... we're really dominant. Kingdom Hearts more than us, though... but still."

"Yeah... next to the breakfast places are seven lunch and seven dinner places. The variety is for your mood—formal, informal, chic, trendy, retro, and more-that-I-can't-remember." Pit smiled.

Pia laughed. "I think I'm in the mood for more-that-Pit-can't-remember!"

"Wow, I _so_ knew you'd say something like that! On the other side, over here, are all the shops." He steered Pia to the other side. "It's kind of like a big outdoor mall. It's got a cell phone shop, a tailor if you want to stray from your colors—"

"Captain Falcon and I go there a lot 'cause we have sucky colors," Ike interjected.

"Ike, shut up, an accessories store for your room, a technology—you know, computers and stuff, weapons stores, and... the girls' stores, which boyfriends know all too well..." Pit shot an apologetic glance at Link. "Samus is the only girl of the fighters who's never gone. Lyn hasn't gone either..."

"Ike, you lucky moron!" Link cried good-naturedly. "Zel drags me into those places like a million times a week, on average."

"Suckers," Pit laughed. "I'm glad _I _don't have a girlfriend."

"Oh, I wouldn't say that if I were you..." Link mused. "It's _awesome_ to have someone like that, especially when you don't have parents..."

"Hey, guuuuuys! Hel-looo!"

Everyone turned at the sound of the bright, jovial greeting. "Lyn!" Ike cried happily.

The heroine of _Fire Emblem: Blazing Sword_ was in a joyous mood, as always.

"Hey, there!" Lyn smiled genuinely. "New girl? Fighter or Assist Trophy? Sticker? Normal trophy? Visitor? What game?"

The boys expected Pia to be taken aback by Lyn's bubbly, quirky personality, but to their surprise, Pia seemed right at home. "I'm a fighter from Kid Icarus. Wow, I love your belt. And your hair thing! They match!"

"Thanks! I _love _it when people notice that!" As Lyn gushed on, asking Pia every question imaginable, the boys noticed something else: a lot of people usually dismissed Lyn as a super-girly airhead, even though that was about her polar opposite. But Pia didn't seem to be assuming that at all.

"Lyn, you never fail to amaze me," Ike smiled. "You ask every damn question possible _except _for her name!"

"Ike!" Pia said, aghast. "Beavers build it, we don't say it!"

Everyone burst out laughing. "What was _that_ supposed tomean?" Ike asked, laughing.

"Damn."

"Oh."

"And no one's told me your _name_, beaver girl! What is it? Dorothy? Louise? Sue? Ninian?" Lyn went off on a crazy question streak again.

"It's Pia, thanks."

"Oh, darn it! There's no good nicknames for that! Unless you count 'beaver girl'."

"Well, my full name's Piana, if that's helpful."

"Oh, yeah! I could call you Pia-na-na! Now _there's _a good nickname."

"Lyn, Lyn, Lyn," Marth teased her. "You have to take those pills _every _day, or else Mar-Mar calls the men in white again!"

Everyone laughed, first at Marth's comment and then at Lyn's parentish smile at Marth.

"I'll turn a blind eye, just this once." Lyn turned her head, then whipped Marth in the face with her below-waist-length ponytail.

"You know, there's a Japanese demon called a _harionago _that attacks people with hair if they make fun of her hairdo." Marth said.

"Yes, Marth, we all needed to know that." Pia rolled her eyes. "Hey, Pit, what time is it?"

"Um..." Pit checked his watch. "9:15."

"Well, seeya 'round," Lyn said. "I was just stoppin' by—you know, see if you were okay, and all..."

"Oh! Hey, Lyn, want some gossip?" Pia asked. "'Cause we've got some real juicy bits for you!"

"Really? Sweet! Tell me!"

"Okay," Pia started. "You know Line?"

"Ugh." Lyn wrinkled her nose. "Unfortunately. Yeah? What about her?"

"Apparently," Pia said sourly, "she hates feathers. And anything _with _feathers."

"Like you and Pit?"

"Uh-huh." Pia told her the whole story. Lyn's eyes grew wide at the end.

"Holy crap! Pia-na-na, honey, if it were me, I would have done _the _same thing! Seriously, _what _a..." Lyn trailed off.

"Hey, guys," Link said. "I promised Zelda I'd go to a girl store with her. See ya." Link sadly made his way to Zelda's castle.

"Say, Ike, how'd you like to do a little strength training with me?" Lyn asked, pulling on Ike's arm. "Pleeeeeease?"

"Yeah, sure!...But get ready to hurt, Lyn-rin..." Ike and Lyn dashed off to the Training center.

Marth, Pit, and Pia stood suddenly alone.

"Cricket, cricket," Pia murmured.

"Well, _that _was spontaneously random," Marth said. "I feel like we should leave too..."

"Well, you could help me get Pia settled in..." Pit suggested.

Marth shrugged. "Okay, sure."

**Short but sweet, hopefully. Lyn will have a large role later on, and yes, she and Ike are dating. I think they go great together, personally. Please review! Reviews make me happy!**


	7. Here to Stay

**Yay Thanksgiving update! I am feeling sick due to my excessive consumption of delicious cooked birds and pie! So be happy that I wrote this!**

"I've never really noticed this garden before," Marth said. "Just the temple, and the stage, and the clouds."

The garden was a small plot of land that floated in midair. Pit's house was in the center. Behind it were the steps leading up to the back door of the temple. The temple was surrounded by a large, circular stone pedestal, on which there were some statues of Palutena, Angel Land's Goddess of Light. The garden itself was beautiful, with glittering crystal fountains, huge trees bearing luscious and exotic fruits, and an all-around cornucopia of colors.

"It's beautiful!" Pia said breathlessly.

"Wow. This place _is_ beautiful!" Marth walked around, inspecting the trees and bushes. "Hey... Pit, are those—are those _diamonds _growing on those bushes? And—and is that—jade? Jade and diamond bushes?"

Pit shrugged. "Yeah, it's what grows in the _real _Skyworld. These are worse quality than those, though."

"Worse quality? Pit, diamonds do _not _grow on bushes!"

"They do in Skyworld."

"And look at these fruits!" Marth exclaimed. "I've never seen anything like them!" Marth reached out his hand to pick one, then hesitated, his hand hovering. "Can I take one?"

"I'm not sure..." Pit said nervously. "No one except for me's ever been up here... all I'm sure about's that you can't have ambrosia or nectar."

"Is this either of those?" Marth picked a firm, gold-colored, triangle-shaped fruit.

"No... you know, I'll bet you can have anything in here 'cept for the laurel fruits... and the ambrosia and nectar, of course."

"What are the laurel fruits?" Marth asked while examining the golden fruit.

"The fruit on the laurel trees, smart one." Pia rolled her eyes at Marth. "These are the laurel trees—the ones with gold leaves."

"Oh, I get it," Marth reasoned. "Your laurel crown comes from these trees, right, Pit?"

Pit nodded. "Pia, you can sleep in my house, all right?"

"Yeah, sure. But I don't sleep much, you know..."

"Shhhh!" Marth said suddenly. "Hear that?" A faint gonging sounded, and Pit was reminded of 6:00 that morning.

"Oh, it's just the Common Clock. It's 9:30." Pit checked his watch.

"So, can I eat this?" Marth tossed the fruit from hand to hand.

"Yeah. But don't blame me if you break out in hives or something..."

Marth took a bite. "Mmmmm! This is... this is... unbelievable! Delicious! What's it called?"

"Shlosha. Isn't it good?"

"Yeah! Cinnamon... chocolate... a hint of vanilla..."

Pit nodded. "Yeah, that one happened to have flavors you recognize." He picked an electric-blue, shapeless, squashed-looking fruit. "Try this one." He tossed it to Marth.

Marth took a bite. "Hmmm... tangy, juicy... pineapple? No... no... what's it called?"

"Sullia."

"Nectarine? Tangerine? Pear? Peach? Plum? Aaargh!" Marth shook his head. "I've never tasted anything like it!"

"See? It doesn't taste like anything... it tastes like sullia!"

"Well, no duh..."

"Okay, I'm all set, Pit!" Pia poked her head out of the house.

"Okay, good!" Pit said. "Let's go back down."

Back in Common Square, Pit wrapped up his explanation.

"Well, that's about it. Unless you'd like to see the other people's homes. The rest is just from the game... only, it's real-life stuff," Pit said.

"I like it here... it looks like you never get bored," Pia said.

"You never do, really," Marth said.

"Hey, you guys," Pia asked. "How does the Brawl system work? Do you, like, actually get hurt, and stuff?"

"No, you don't get hurt," Pit explained. "It's kind of like a virtual reality simulator. You go into the Brawling Chamber with one to three other brawlers, select the stage, and you're warped there... although then you can only use your game moves. And... yeah. That's how you brawl here. If you want to live in one of the stages that's a brawl stage, then they're made in a different version in the Subspace Emisssary stages and homes, like Skyworld. If you just want to go to a normal brawl stage and not brawl, then you just don't go into the Chamber."

"Wow, that's not confusing at all." Pia rolled her eyes and smiled. "No, seriously. I get it."

"So, how about we teach you how to brawl?" Marth asked innocently. "Us veterans know how to go easy on fresh meat..."

Pia jumped up and smiled. "Get ready to fail! Epically!"

**Please review! Happy Thanksgiving!**


	8. The Return of Manorexia and Prejudice

**Notice how Marth says "Zero Suit Samus" again. Just thought I'd point that out. Veeeery long chapter, so please enjoy!**

Wiped out from brawling for six hours, Marth, Pit, and Pia realized that they had skipped lunch.

"Man!" Marth said, shaking his head. "Time sure flies when you're beating people up!"

"You mean when you're being beaten?" Pit smiled wryly.

"Shall we go to lunch?" Pia asked.

"Yeah. Even _I'm _hungry!" Marth rubbed his stomach.

Pia gasped. "OMG, the manorexic is _hungry_!"

"I'm _not _a mano_rex_ic!" Marth whined.

"Shall I call Ike and Link and get us kicked out again?" Pia asked.

"Wait. You don't _have _a cell phone—"

Pia reached into Marth's pocket and snatched his royal blue phone. "I do now. Is Ike 'Radiant Mercenary'?" Marth snatched at his phone, but Pia pulled away. He started chasing her while she speed-dialed. "Um, Ike? This is Marth. Could you meet us at the Common, please?" Pause. "I just inhaled helium. Bring Link and Lyn, if you can. Please. Bye!" Pia hung up. By this time, Pit was rolling on the floor laughing, and Marth was staggering with laughter.

"Oh... oh, my _gods_, that was _hilarious_!" Pit could barely contain his laughter. "'I just inhaled helium'—ha! Ha! Ha!"

"Okay, okay, angry as I am, that _was _pretty funny." Marth snickered. Then he stopped smiling abruptly. "Now give it back."

Pia sighed and handed him his phone. "You know, I like _never _would have done that back home, but I want a cell phone! I have a computer, but, you know, it's not the same."

"Where's your computer?" Marth asked.

"In Pit's house."

"Can I use it?" Pit asked.

"Sure, just don't mess it up."

"Hey!" The three of them turned. Ike, Link, Zelda, and Lyn were walking toward them. "You sounded _so _weird, Mar..." Ike trailed off at the sound of their laughter. "Okay, what'd I miss?"

"This little fox stole my phone, called you, and you fell for it. Luckily, we all wanted you to come anyway."

"I _thought _that sounded like a girl's voice on the phone!" Lyn said triumphantly.

"Me too... I thought it was Marth." Marth pretended not to hear Zelda's snide comment.

"Hey!" Marth said jovially. "C'mon, guys! Who wants to get dissed and kicked out of a restaurant by a racist redhead again? I know _I _do!"

"I do! I do! I do!" Everyone yelled, and they made their way to a lunch restaurant.

...

"Now _this _is a good lunch restaurant. I'll bet there ain't no racist redheads here!" Ike said.

This was a diner-like restaurant called the Metro 30. Red leather diner booths and chairs provided the seating. The wallpaper was diner-style, with white walls and a black-and-white checker strip along the middle. The Alloy waitresses were cheerful and wore retro diner waitress dresses and roller skates.

"Yeah. Hook, Line, and Sinker don't own _most_ ofthe restaurants. Lucky for us." Marth said. "That Line's a real killer."

"Little late for lunch, are ya?" Kathi the waitress rolled over. "Wat'cha havin'?"

Everyone ordered except for Pit.

"Oh, no! Not you too, Pit!" Ike said with false alarm.

"Nah, I'll wait for dessert," Pit said.

"Okay, I'm glad Mr. Manorexic here's finally eating!" Ike punched Marth lightly on the arm.

"You know, I think you just like the sound of the _word_, Ike!" Marth said irritably. "Man-o-rex-i-a. Go pick on Zero Suit Samus or something. She _never _eats!"

"Yeah, but she's a hot chick! Hot chicks aren't _supposed_ to eat!"

"IKE!" Lyn yelled. "Horn dog!" She threw a pat of butter at his head.

"Ha. Maybe Marth's getting in touch with her—er, _his_ brethren." Zelda snickered.

"At least I'm the rescu_er _and not the rescu_ee _like you." Marth's face was emotionless and cold. He put on a high, falsetto voice. "'Oh, Link! Link, my love, I'm a sack of dead weight and magic and can't do _anything _by myself! Hurry and rescue me while I whine and complain the whole nine yards!'"

Everyone was surprised. It wasn't a _very _mean thing to say, but it just wasn't like Marth to lash out like that. Even Zelda was mildly stunned and shut her mouth for a while.

"Hey!" Link said loudly. Zelda smiled smugly and Marth drew back slightly.

_He won't _do_ anything to me, will he? _Marth thought nervously. Pia shook her head in his direction, but looked confused.

Link also looked confused at Marth and Zelda's actions, but went on anyway. "Um, speaking of Samus, she left, like, six hours ago to check on the enemies and hasn't come back yet? Maybe she got captured!"

Zelda looked disappointed, but reassured Link. "One, Samus Aran—even Zero Suit—does _not_ get captured. Two, she couldn't use the Chamber, so that makes the journey _super_-long, especially on foot. I'd be surprised if she made it there and back in eight."

"Hours?" Ike asked.

"No, pineapples! Yes, hours."

"No need to be hurtful." Ike sounded hurt.

"There, there." Zelda patted Ike's head like a dog's.

"Maybe before we eat, we should say what we're thankful for!" Lyn said, smiling a bit maniacally.

"Lyn... no. Just... no." Lyn laughed at Ike's choice of words.

"Is the service here fast?" Pit asked. "I'm hungry."

"Pit, you didn't _order _anything!" Pia laughed, shoving him.

"Yeah, but the faster the food comes, the faster we get to dessert!"

"Yeah..." Marth shifted in his seat for some reason. "Um... Pit... how come you never eat food that isn't sweet? I've _never _seen you eat in any of the actual food restaurants... only dessert restaurants."

"Well..." Pit looked embarrassed. "I actually get _sick _if I eat food that isn't sweet. Like, _really _sick."

"Wow! Really?" Ike exclaimed. "My friend Reyson had something like that happen to him!"

"The guy who can read your heart?" Link asked.

"Yeah! He wanted to get stronger, so he ate raw meat and cold fish for a day."

Pit wrinkled his nose. "Ewww, what happened?"

"He puked for ten days."

"Ick. No wonder... but why'd he do it?"

"I told you... he wanted to get stronger so he could avenge his clan... it didn't exactly work, but he made a valiant effort. He said that his species should only eat nuts and berries..."

"I can eat _anything _sweet!" Pit bragged. "Even artificial stuff like lollipops."

Everyone drifted into private, unimportant conversations until the food came.

"Mmmm..." Ike said as he ate his fried chicken. "This is, like, _the_ best food ever, and it never gets old..."

Marth picked at his whole-wheat pasta. "Ike, would it crush your feelings if I ate? I haven't eaten since yesterday and I'm _hungry_."

"'M thill cawin you ma'reckic—" Ike swallowed and cleared his throat. "I'm still calling you 'manorexic'."

Marth took a bite, swallowed, and wiped his mouth with a napkin before answering. "Can't call me that if I actually eat."

Ike took another bite."Theth 'oo?"

"Cool it, you guys." Link said. "Besides—I'd rather not eat Cucco—er, chicken—for the rest of my life than forfeit ultra-rare meat." Link was also eating his favorite food—steak.

"Meh, you're all insane. Candy and cake make the world go 'round." Pit sighed contentedly. "I love my garden. It has such good fruit—almost all my own."

"_Almost._" Pia said, pointing a french fry at Pit sternly. "Operative word: almost."

"Hey, how come you can eat non-sweet food and Pit can't?" Lyn asked through a sip of soda.

"'Cause she's a freak who eats anything. Kind of like a female Ike." Pit prepared to dodge an attack from Pia, but was surprised when she didn't assault him. Instead, she held out his soda.

"Here, Pit. Take a drink." She smiled warmly. Her eyes sparkled. "Maybe that'll cool your hot head."

"Ummm... okay." Pit reached out his hand hesitantly.

"Ack! Pit, you fool, don't drink that!" Link cried. "She's spiked it! _Fear for your life, man!_ She will have your head!"

Pia turned to Link, still smiling. "Whatever do you mean, Link? I most certainly did not slip poison into Pit's drink—nor yours—whilst he was not looking! Why would a sweet, innocent little girl such as I commit such a heinous crime?"

Pit slowly got up and crouched behind Ike. "_Protect me_," he whispered urgently.

Ike hung his head. "Pit," Ike whispered. "Simple rule: you do not hide from girls."

Marth suddenly sensed the impending fight. He slammed his fist on the table so loudly, it captured the attention of not only Ike, Link, Pit, Zelda, Lyn, and Pia, but also the attention of everyone else in the restaurant. Marth blushed, but spoke anyway. "All _right_! All _right_! Everyone, cleanse your immediate records! No more overreacting over insults, and no more insults! Starting... now!"

There was a silence. Zelda giggled mockingly. "Oh, hey!" Pia said, discreetly following Marth's advice. "It's the awkward silence!" Seeing their blank, incredulous faces, she went on. "During every conversation, there's a random awkward silence. I feel the need to announce this every time it happens."

"Don't say anything," Pit said. "Just agree. Yes, Pia! I agree with you!"

"PIT!" Marth yelled, throwing up his hands. "What... did... I... just... say?"

"Gosh, Pit, you act just like the boys at our old school." Pia rolled her eyes. "_No_, Link, not _now_." Link slumped with his head resting on his hand, looking impatient and annoyed.

Marth ate another bite of pasta. "You know, everyone here should eat more healthfully."

"Yes, Marth. I agree with you." Pit tugged at his eyelashes. "Hurry up, people. I wanna eat dessert with everyone else."

"People? Marth's the only one still eating." Lyn rolled her eyes. "Marth, we could feed it to the trash can if you don't want to eat." Marth pushed his food toward her, looking grateful. Lyn took his fork and took a position preparing to shovel it somewhere. "All right, Ikey boy. Open wide."

Ike opened his mouth and closed his eyes. Lyn smashed the bowl in his face. Ike cleaned himself off and stuck out his food-filled tongue at Lyn. Everyone applauded.

"Mmmmm," Ike sighed when he was done. He pumped his arm in the air. "The human garbage can has worked his magic once again!"

Amidst the joking applause, Pit glanced at the door. His mouth fell open in astonishment and anger. "No way! What—the _heck_—is _he _doing here!"

They turned at the sound of Pit's exclamation and reacted in almost the same way, except for Pia, who didn't recognize him.

Hook stood in the doorway.

His beady, squinty rat's brown eyes darted across the restaurant like those of a black market salesman's in a police station. He was a weaselly rat of a man, with a chili-bowl haircut in bright orange. His blotchy face was marred even worse than Line's, because he had nicked beard stubble. He had a scrawny appearance and a whiny voice, but if looks could kill...

Hook marched over to their table. "You! Ya li'l angel brat! Heard ya mouthed off at 'er fresh!" He jabbed a finger at her face.

"Oh, just shut up and leave already," Lyn muttered.

Hook rounded on Lyn. "Whad'ja say, ya li'l whack-job? Ya still takin' those pills o'yours? 'Cause ya should be-!"

Ike immediately stood up and glared at Hook. "Don't you _dare _insult her, you filthy, nasty, no-good-"

"Don't innafere, stupid! Least _I _know how ta read!_" _Hook shoved Ike away, and then started on Pia. "And _you_! How dare ya give Line a tellin' off in 'er own res'trant! Jes' 'cause ya think yer a higha _life_ form!"

Ike and Link made movements to help, but Pit stopped them.

"Look." Pit said through gritted teeth. "I don't _want _any trouble—"

"Ya don't want no trouble? Too bad! 'Cause yer sure's heck _gettin'_ some! Go 'head, take the heat for ya li'l girlfriend here!" Hook reared back with a punch, but as he swung, Pit stopped it with one hand.

Smiling at Hook's dumbfounded, furious expression, Pit continued his previous sentence: "I don't _want _any trouble, but I guess I'll have to give you some." Using Hook's punching hand that he had stopped, Pit swung Hook over his head. After recovering from his initial shock, Hook bellowed in anger and threw himself at Pit. Pit easily sidestepped, then tripped Hook. All the while (although stunned at Pit's strength), Pia, Marth, Ike, Link, Lyn, and Zelda were cheering madly for Pit (the waitresses were used to fights everywhere, so they went about their own business).

"G-gahhh! Yer damn strong fer a sack o'feathers!" Covered in bumps and bruises, Hook staggered out. Amidst the cheering, Hook yelled: "This ain't over, kid!"

"Wow, Pit!" Marth said when the excitement had somewhat died down. "I had no idea you were so strong!"

"Ever read the dictionary definition of an angel?" Pit asked proudly. "Do it later. It'll explain."

"I sure haven't, but I don't care!" Ike gave Pit a friendly noogie. "Man, why didn't you do that with Line?"

"I don't like to hit girls," Pit mumbled, half-choked by Ike's strong arm around his neck. "And Line fits that loosest definition. Um, could you let go?... I can't breathe."

As Ike released him, Link spoke up. "Yeah, careful with our resident hero, Ike!" He laughed.

Lyn, Zelda, and Pia all hugged Pit, which looked funny because he was shorter than Zelda and Lyn.

"Still waters run deep!" Zelda quoted. "But you still can't beat Link."

"A far cry from Reyson," Lyn said. "He broke his hand trying to hit someone. Poor guy, he's so weak..."

"Wow, thanks for standing up for me!" Pia said happily. "I feel so loved!"

"All right, show's over! Nghhh... off!" Pit attempted to shake off all three girls. He succeeded with two of them.

"Pia!" Pit groaned.

Hearing his complaint, Pia detatched herself.

"Hey! I was right, sort of! We _did _get dissed by a racist redhead!" Marth realized.

"And then Pit dissed him." Lyn finished.

"Hey, Pit, nice watch." Ike said, taking Pit's arm.

"Thanks," Pit said. "Speaking of which... it iiiiis..." Pit checked his watch. "4:15."

"Wellll... what do you guys wanna do?" Ike said. "We've got some time to kill. We can brawl..."

"Ugh! No!" Pit shook his head vigorously with his hands over his ears. "I am so sick of brawling. Take Link and Zelda and brawl! But I'm not brawling anymore! Not for awhile!"

"Okay, then, Mr. Touchy Outburster." Ike put his hand on Pit's shoulder and turned to face Link and Zelda. "You guys up?"

"Yeah, sure!" Zelda responded eagerly. "Come on, Lin..." She trailed off and curled her lip. "Wait. Is _Marth _coming?" She asked in a whiny voice. "If _he's _coming, I'm _so _not coming! He's gross! Is he coming?" She acted as though Marth wasn't there, and she didn't care if he heard. She knew that he was too soft and polite to retaliate.

Marth put his thumb and index finger over his closed eyes, like he had a headache—or was holding something back. "No, Princess, I'm not. And you know why?" His voice trembled with something.

Zelda, obviously believing that Marth was close to tears, smirked. "Why?"

"Because it'll mean being close to a certain long-eared, fat-legged, small-boobed, squinty-eyed _cow_!" Marth snapped. He got up and left quickly and silently, scowling darkly. As he left, he bowed his head and bared his teeth. His eyes were hidden by his bangs, and he looked very frightening. He stomped off, with his hands clenched into fists and held stiffly at his sides, in the direction of the Battlefield Fortress.

Zelda was stunned. She had never been spoken to like that in her life. Everyone else was stunned too—but for a different reason. Marth never said or did things like that. Ever.

"Let's go home, Zelda." Link said tightly. "We need to talk."

"Ummm... Pit, Pia, can I go with you?" Ike asked. "I, um, think he needs some time alone." He looked uncomfortable and conspisciously avoided Zelda's eyes.

"Um, yeah. Sure, Ike." Pit said, staring at his feet. "C'mon, Pia."

**Poor Marth. Well, he finally snapped. And Zelda TOTALLY had it coming. I had fun telling her off. P.S. If you like the story, don't just favorite it, review it too! Thank you to my loyal reviewers Abigal Satoshi xx and Foxpilot.**


	9. No Ideas

Angry and confused as he was, Ike couldn't help but be dazzled by the beauty of the garden.

"It's like Serenes Forest," he breathed. He went around and studied the trees and bushes. "Jewels? On bushes? Is this real?" He pulled a topaz bush out of the way to reveal glittering sapphires of the darkest blue—the exact same color as Marth's eyes. He let the bush swing back and quickly turned toward Pit.

"Of course it's real." Pit said sharply. "It's right there in front of you."

"Oh, stop," said Pia wearily. "Don't ignore Marth, please. Talk about him."

"It's just so... unlike him," Ike whispered. "He's so kind and quiet all the time. And he hates a lot of people, and he's never said something like _that_ to their face."

"I didn't want to hear what he was thinking," Pia said. "I didn't try to find out."

"Poor Marth," Pit said. "He doesn't derserve that crap from Zelda."

"No," Ike agreed. "He really doesn't. Maybe that's it. She's really had an easy life, twilight stuff aside. Especially compared to him." He paused. "None of you really know what he's been through. You have no idea..."

...

Marth threw open the door of the Battlefield Fortress and stormed up the stairs to his bedroom. He threw himself onto his bed and stared up at the ceiling, shaking with rage. He hated her. Hated, hated, _hated_ her. It wasn't fair. He had lost everything. _Twice. _And that little spoiled brat thought that she could just flounce around and insult him at every turn, while _he_ kept his damn mouth shut and remembered how he had been brought up? Respect people, that's what _he_ had been taught. That little witch thought she had a free pass for sympathy just because of her father dying—when she barely _knew _him, no less—and being trapped in the Twilight Realm for a _month _or so? None of them understood what it was like to have your life shattered, your home burned, your friends slain. Not even Ike. They had no idea...

...

"Zelda, dear, are you mad about something? I mean, prior to that... incident?"

Zelda looked into Link's caring blue eyes and felt a feeling of peace. A breeze from the bay reached the balcony that they were reclining on. The wind felt good on Zelda's flushed cheeks. She picked up her teacup—she'd gotten some great tea mixes from Peach—and held it in midair, trying to catch the sunset in it.

"I-I don't really know. I mean, you knew I didn't like him, right? But—but I..."

"Didn't expect him to grow a spine?" Link suggested. "Look, Zel, I'm not siding here. Not with you, not with Marth. Not even with Ike. I think... you know, Marth's a good guy. I honestly don't see why you can't get along with him." He caught her expression and understood it perfectly. "Look, I know I'm being a parent here, but at least _answer _me."

Zelda sighed. "I just... really, really don't like him. I can't explain it. I know that we can't ever get along. And I... well, both of us... we really barely know him. And... he barely knows us."

Link stared out at the setting sun. His eyes looked like periwinkles from the light. "Two years. We've been here two years, and we barely know each other. Who knows who Saki really is? Does Ike have a sister? What if Marth had a girlfriend a long time ago?" He closed his eyes, shook his head, and sighed. "We don't know who we are. We have no idea..."

...

"Okay, so lemme get this straight. She insults him ooone time too many and he snaps?"

No matter how serious the situation, Saki managed to keep his cool. Lyn had fled to her fellow Assist Trophy friend when she had been abandoned—sniff, sniff—by the others. He was now sitting at his desk, in the middle of designing a new weapon, while she stood before him, explaining the situation. While she ranted and raved, she noticed how cool and high-tech his small, one-man house was, with the latest Japanese future-tech everywhere.

"C'mon, Saks, you make it seem like _Marth's _the bad guy!"

Saki snorted. "Isn't he?"

"NO!" Lyn stamped her foot in frustration. "Haven't you noticed? She insults him at every free moment! He hadn't done _anything_, and she gets all offended after _one... freaking... insulting... sentence_! Well, Zel, didn't expect the little kicked puppy to bite, did you?" Lyn was nearly hysterical.

"Hey, calm down, Lyndie. I meant he was the 'bad guy' for not, like, _ever_ talking back. _Of course_ he was good to do what he did. But why? Why would this certain time be the one time he loses it?"

"I... I don't know. He's just... he _is _like a kicked puppy. He's so sweet and harmless. I don't know why he'd do that. I have no idea..."


	10. Talking it Over

**Okay... whenever there's a short chapter, I'll try to do a double. Happy? Hope so. Enjoy!**

Ike sent a text message to Lyn, telling her to stay at the Assist Trophy homes for a while to give Marth some space. He had realized that he was the only one who could do this—the boy that Marth had known the longest. He knew that Pit and Pia and Link and Zelda needed each other alone. Now he needed to help Marth alone.

Ike found Marth in his bedroom, on the bed. He was still in his clothes, even though it was getting late. Ike checked the clock. Almost seven, but it was already dark outside. Ike lit some candles, to make it homier.

Marth lay on his back, with his hands folded over his stomach. His face was tense, and his mouth was taut. It was hard to see under Marth's bangs, but Ike guessed that he was scowling. Ike wondered if he was asleep. His question was answered momentarily.

"That you, Ike?" Marth's voice sounded a bit cracked. He didn't open his eyes.

"Mmmm. Are you okay?"

"That depends. Do you define 'homicidally angry' as okay?" Marth opened his eyes, and his face softened. "Where'd everyone go?"

"Link and..." Ike sensed impending danger in Marth's clenched fists. "Ummm... Link and the princess went home. Pit and Pia did too. I told Lyn to stay at her Assist Trophy home. I figured you needed some time... alone."

"You figured right." Marth rolled over to face Ike, his head resting on his hand.

"Seriously, though, are you okay?"

"No."

"Do you want to talk? About it?"

"Not really."

Marth rolled over again, this time with his back to Ike. Ike turned to leave, but stopped when Marth spoke again.

"Ike?"

"Yeah?"

Marth turned toward Ike. His bangs covered his eyes again. "Why does everything... always happen to me?" A tear rolled slowly down his cheek.

Ike sat on the side of Marth's bed. "What do you mean?"

"I mean Zelda, I mean Altea, I mean my name, I mean losing Roy. Heck, losing _everyone_. I mean getting gay accusations all the time. _Everything_."

"Well, heck, Marth, people in the real Worlds don't even think you exist. They know you can't retaliate. I mean for your name, and being called a girl and stuff."

"Mmmm. And the real bad stuff?"

Ike sighed. "Maybe... it all happened for a reason. Maybe it's for the best?"

Marth was quiet for a long time. He put his head down as he spoke. "Ike. If Altea—if the whole of Akeneia—hadn't been destroyed, I would have been the emperor of the kingdom of Akeneia. Married... and with my sister by my side. I would have met you anyway when I came here. And Lyn and Roy... they'd have their families back too."

"But there are bad things about that too. I mean, there are more bad things than good—_way_ more—about that, but... look. If you had gone according to the game, you pretty much would have been an pricky emo king. Not the awesome prince you are now." Marth smiled at that weakly. "And Lyn," Ike went on, standing up. "She woulda had to leave Hector anyway, but we couldn'ta been together. Roy'd still be being hounded by like fifty girls—well, that's not exactly _bad_, but still. Um... so, yeah. It'd be different here if that hadn't happened." Ike hoped, really hoped, that Marth would be comforted by his words.

Marth sat up, and Ike sat down next to him again. "You're right, Ike," Marth said blankly. "You are one hundred percent correct. But would it really be so horrible if... if I had... my sister and girlfriend back?" His voice trembled. "Is that too much to ask, dammit?"

"How much do you think _I _want my parents back?"

"Mmmm. Are you through talking about this? I think I'll have a nervous breakdown if I dig any deeper."

"Yes, how about we be done now?" Ike got up. "Wanna sleep together in the two-bed room tonight?" Ike blushed as soon as he finished. Marth cracked up. Soon, he was nearly crying from laughter. Ike laughed too. It felt good to laugh. And to hear someone laugh with you, especially when both of the laughers had been really sad a moment before.

"Oh... ha... oh my God, you wonder—" he paused to laugh more. "Ha, you wonder why everyone thinks we're gay. Next time, just—ha... ha...—just say, 'Wanna sleep over, non-yaoi?'"

"Well, wanna?"

Marth shrugged. "What the heck. Sure."

**Ha ha. I guess once you're older, it's kind of hard to ask someone to sleep over, especially when you live in the same house but in separate rooms. As for the abrupt change of mood... Marth's feelings might not be completely suppressed.**


	11. Chapter 11 no name, sorry

**I have no homework. It's raining. So you get another chapter.**

"You know what's an interesting phenomenon?" Ike asked. It was eleven at night. They were in a middle room of the Battlefield Fortress, the one with two beds. Each of them had his own room, but they slept in here sometimes, so they could talk.

Ike was dressed in his pajamas, a long, ripped, short-sleeved red shirt and ripped red shorts. Marth's pajamas were blue silk, a long-sleeved shirt with buttons and long pants. Even at night, their clothes reflected their mercenaric and royal backgrounds.

Both were seated (or lying) in a classic sleepover position. Marth was lying on his stomach, with his chest resting on his folded arms and his legs in the air. Ike was cross-legged, leaning against his bed.

"That you can practically inhale a huge bowl of popcorn in less than ten minutes?" Marth guessed, staring forlornly at the empty bowl in front of him.

"Well, yes," Ike agreed. "Skill. But I'm talking about something else. You know how whenever you can do something cool, you do it perfectly when you're all alone? Well, whenever you try to show it to someone—poof! Can't do it!"

Marth nodded sympathetically.

"Like this one time," Ike went on, smiling. "I was so sure that I had mastered some good magic spells, so I practiced 'em a few times. Then I went to my dad to show him—and I just couldn't! And I've never been able to since."

Marth took a potato chip from a bowl and studied it while talking. "Once, my father gave me a deadline to learn how to do the Dolphin Slash—you know, my up attack? Well, I practiced it all week, and when it came time to present it to him, I choked. Froze. Couldn't even remember how to hold the sword. Father didn't take well to that." Marth put the chip back in the bowl.

"Whoa—but it wasn't your fault! You knew how to do it, you just—"

"Forgot?" Marth laughed hollowly. "Think he cared? He made me spar with him, no holding back, 'til I got hurt. It was a relatively little cut, though, compared to all the others, but it bled a lot."

"Well, that's _mean_, but—"

"Shhh!" Marth cut him off. "After I got cut, he went into the dining room. I thought he'd be getting ice or something—you know, a wet cloth, maybe? But he came back with a saltshaker, and poured salt in my cut. Then he yelled at me for being lazy and irresponsible."

Ike was appalled. He opened his mouth angrily, but no sound came out. Marth studied his fingernails.

"And you?" Marth asked. "What'd _your _dad do?"

"Nothing!" Ike finally choked out in a cracked voice. "I mean, he was nice about it! He laughed and told me not to worry, that he didn't expect me to be a legendary swordmaster _and _a magnificent mage!"

"Father never complimented me. He only expected more. No hugs, scarcely smiles—he even slapped me." Marth paused. "Sometimes, I wondered if he really even loved me."

"Marth! Don't say that! Of course he did!"

"You know what's strange?" Marth said thoughtfully. "My father was a king, well-known, great and powerful, but he was a harsh, cold father. Your father was the commander of a lowly little group of mercenaries—no offense—"

"None taken," interjected Ike.

"—but he was a kind and caring father. Sure, the training sessions a bit harsh, but all in all... and now they're both dead."

"Are you trying to get sympathy or something?"

Marth rested his cheek on his fist. "Yeah, okay, even if I _was_, you sure aren't giving me a lot by saying that. And you know, that's why I seem so feminine. It's 'cause I spent so much more time with my mother and sister than with my father."

"And I'm the first Fire Emblem Lord to not be of royal birth. I never knew stuff like that."

"And you know another interesting phenomenon? Roy's dad, Eliwood, was the only father of a Fire Emblem Lord to live until the end of the game. All the others died. But he died too, afterwards."

Ike yawned. "Yeah, sorry to interrupt the somber tone of that and all, but Ike needs some serious R&R."

"Yeah. I'm tired too."

The two of them climbed into bed.

"Ike?" Marth whispered a while later.

"Mmmm?" Ike answered drowsily.

"What'm I gonna say to Zelda'n the others tomorrow?"

"Temporary insanity, Marth. Just temporary insanity."

"Thanks."

"Delighted to be of assistance..." Ike and Marth lapsed into unconsciousness. For Ike, crazy and random dreams; for Marth, a delicate, dreamless sleep.

...

That night, two visitors stealthily stalked Brawl World—a girl and a raven. The girl visited two homes, silently forming a plan. The raven flew low over every home—excepting the Battlefield Fortress. The raven couldn't get close to it, for some reason. It had no choice but to fly high over it.

**Yay, recurring theme of ravens annoying people! Probably because they annoy me while I'm trying to write by landing on the rain gutters outside my room! And poor Marth... Ike and Marth can't seem to talk about deep things at all without something getting in the way.**


	12. Madness, Theft, and Archangels, oh my!

Ike and Marth slept gloriously late that day, unlike the rest of Brawl World, who had mysteriously woken unhappily at five A.M. Ike opened his eyes to streaming sunlight at ten o'clock. Marth was still peacefully asleep, so Ike tried to leave quietly. Ike quietly got dressed in his usual outfit in his room. After triple-knotting his long bandanna, he walked over to the armory, where he and Marth kept their swords. He reached for the spot where he always kept Ragnell—and then froze.

Gone. His sword. Of Ragnell. Holy. Two-handed. Favorite weapon. Gone. Stolen. Only one person knew where he kept that sword.

He stomped up the stairs to the room where he had slept. There he was, rotten little thief, pretending to be asleep. Practical joke? Ike wasn't laughing.

"MAAAAARTH!" Ike shouted.

"Gyaaaahhhhhh!" Marth screamed. He snapped awake and jumped a foot in the air. His hair stuck out in all directions. His hand automatically went to his left side, where his sword usually was, but he found no sword and saw that it was only Ike. His hysterically frightened expression turned to a furious one.

"IKE! What... was THAT?" Before Marth could get out of bed, Ike slammed his hand to Marth's neck and pinned him to the bed. Marth struggled, but Ike was too powerful.

"Traitor! I trusted you! Tell me where you hid _my _Ragnell!"

"Wh-what?" Marth choked, gasping for breath. "Ragnell? Don't... ack... can't... br-breathe..."

Ike's grip slackened a bit. "I went down to the armory," he said through clenched teeth. "And found... no... sword. And who is the only one who knows where I keep that sword?"

"Ike." Marth attempted again to get Ike's hand off, but Ike still had an iron grip. "I didn't take your sword. Why would I do that? I can't even _lift_ it." Marth was seriously scared now, and was immensely relieved when Ike let go. Marth immediately sat up, gasping and massaging his neck.

"You're right... you could never lift that thing. Sorry, man." Ike's expression turned sympathetic and alarmed. "Jeez, Marth, I really hurt you, didn't I? Oh man, I'm really sorry."

"Ike, you just don't know your own strength," Marth grumbled, nursing the large bruise that was blossoming on his neck.

"But if you didn't take my sword... then who did?" Ike made movements to grab Marth's neck again. Marth's eyes widened, and he leapt off the bed and into the corner so quickly that he was almost a blur. He backed up against the wall, horrified.

"Dude, _joking_!" Ike helped Marth calm down.

"_NEVER... _do that again!" Marth was still shaking. "Owwww! That really hurt!"

"I'm _sorry_, Marth!"

"Okay. I know you're mad about your sword, but even if I _had _stolen it, that was an overreaction!"

"Okay, then who took it?"

"Why should _I _know?"

Ike and Marth stared at each otherwith fiery eyes. All of a sudden, they blinked at the same time.

"Dude..." Ike said, bewildered. "Why were we just, like..."

"I dunno. I mean, I was _kinda _mad at you, but... I kind of feel like my emotions were, like, enhanced, or something."

"Mmmm. I'm sorry. Dude hug?"

"Dude hug."

As they embraced, Link barged in out of nowhere. Marth and Ike broke apart. Link looked horrible. He had bags under his eyes, his hair was wild, and his hat was askew. He initially looked angry, but after seeing Marth and Ike hugging, he looked disgusted.

"Um. Were you two _seriously_ just hugging in your pajamas?"

"Hey! I'm dressed!" Ike said indignantly.

"Mmmm, and I just woke up, so I look like hell, probably." Marth looked in the mirror and nodded, seeing his wild hair and droopy eyes.

"Marth," Ike whispered. "That's not the kind of thing guys say."

"Hey! Look, gay dudes, stop talking and lead me to my sword!" Link looked so menacing with his wide, crazy-looking blue eyes that Marth and Ike didn't even retaliate that much to the stab at their sexuality.

"_Your _sword?" Ike raised his eyebrows and got in Link's face. "_My _sword's the one that's missing!"

"Oh, yeah. _Great_ alibi."

"He's telling the truth!" Marth cried. "Look! He blamed me and got physical!" He showed Link the blossoming bruise on his neck.

"You two were just _hugging._"

"Yeah, we were making up!"

Ike suddenly had a burst of insight. "Link," he commanded, "look at me. Why are you so angry?"

"I got a note! There was a note right where my sword had been! It said to go to the Battlefield Fortress, and I'd get my sword there!"

"Okay," Marth said, understanding what Ike was trying to do. "Did it say that _we_ took it?"

"We-e-lllll, no, but...!"

"Link," Ike tried to calm Link down. "Okay. You're here. You'll get your sword. Why are you so mad?"

Link blinked, and then exhaled. His face relaxed. "I... I don't know. I... I just realized... I've been mad since I woke up. And that was at five. I've got no good reason. Sorry, guys."

"S'okay... but we were like that too. Just mad... and Ike's sword is missing also. But it seems like we stopped the madness earlier. Wonder why..."

Marth's speech was interrupted by the arrival of Ike's sword, Ragnell. It crashed through the roof of the Battlefield Fortress and scattered stone everywhere.

"Um." Ike slowly inched toward his sword.

"Come on, Ike!" Link laughed nervously. "It's not gonna bite—WAAAUUUUGHHHH!" Link pulled Ike back as his sword, the Master Sword, followed suit.

"Ummmm... words fail me?" Marth looked up at the sky and yelled. "Gyaaahhhhh!" The Falchion, Marth's sword, fell down between them.

"Is that all, folks?" Ike asked, laughing nervously.

"Uh, we're the only ones here, so yeah, I guess."

"Notes!" Ike exclaimed. "There's notes attached! Read 'em!"

The boys tore the notes off of their swords and read them.

"Mine says, 'Dear Marth, you are my second-best friend. Ask Link to explain.' What do yours say?" Marth flipped the note around, but there was nothing on the back.

"What _does _mine say, Marth? The... uh... handwriting's bad..." Ike looked embarrassed about his illiteracy.

"Ike's says the same, except for it says 'Ike' and 'third-best'." Marth scratched his head.

"Mine says 'Link' and 'fourth-best'. And there's a P.S."

"What's it say?" Ike and Marth asked in unison.

"It says, 'Tell Ike and Marth to go with you to Skyworld tonight. And explain to them, duh! Love, Pia."

Ike and Marth were momentarily silent. Then, Marth spoke up.

"Well... what do you need to explain?"

"Um... a lot."

Link took Ike and Marth to the Lab and showed them Pia's file, reading the Hyrulian aloud for Marth and Ike and the normal writing aloud for the illiterate Ike.

"Wow," Ike breathed. "That's some deep stuff. And they chose _us_?"

"Yeah, obviously," Link said, acting as the question guru.

"Do you have any idea who Aegeus Harah is?" Marth asked.

"I've been trying to get it out of Pia, but she keeps telling me, 'Later, later, not now.' All I know is that he's the leader of Team Triple A, whatever that is."

"Well, then, I'm guessing she'll tell us tonight. But in the meantime, let's look it up."

"Hmmm..." Link murmured as he clicked on it. "In their species of angel, archangels are extremely powerful, evil beings, and there have only been twelve in existence. They come in multiples of three, in this order: Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael; Azazel, Jarahmeel, and Suriel; Uriel, Cassiel, and Phanuel; and the current ones are Aegeus, Agamemnon, and Ashliela. Team Triple A was the name of Aegeus, Agamemnon, and Ashliela's team. Agamemnon and Ashliela are twins, and they're still living in Angel Land. I can't get anything on Aegeus."

"Well, _that's _kind of mysterious. Pia prolly knows more, though." Ike said. "I have a friend named Rafiel, but it's pronounced like Raphael. He's named after him... is that bad?"

"No," Link reassured Ike. "In the real world, Earth, the archangels rank higher than angels, and they're purer and stronger. Raphael is always an angel of healing; his name means, 'God Heals'."

"Aaaargh. This doesn't make enough sense. We need Pia." Marth shook his head.

"Don't worry. I think it's super-complicated," Link reassured Marth. "It doesn't help that their species of angel is different than all the other normal species of angels."

"Huh?" Ike and Marth asked in unison.

"Finally, something I can actually explain a little about. See, most angels are created to be servants of God... and nothing else, really. In their species, the angels are more of just a separate, advanced, mystical, higher-ranking race. Their celestial hiearchy, in Pit's own words, is screwy."

"And you know what else is screwy?" Ike asked, rubbing his growling stomach. "Marth and I slept through breakfast _and _post-breakfast _and _pre-lunch."

"In other words, Ike... _hungry_!" Marth shoved Ike good-naturedly. "Ike want food! C'mon, Link, let's get lunch."

They settled on the Metro again, because the service was fast and Ike was getting more irritable by the second.

"Dude, slow down," Marth said, gaping wide-eyed at the pile of empty plates in front of Ike. "You're like a machine!"

"Can't help it," Ike said in between bites. "I'm used to breakfast at eight, then post-breakfast at nine-thirty, then pre-lunch at eleven, then actual lunch at twelve-thirty. And seeing as it's almost twelve now, I need to fill in for breakfast, post-breakfast, _and _pre-lunch at lunchtime. That means I need to eat a lot more, and then be done at one, 'cause that's when I finish eating, usually, so I'll be able to eat post-lunch, my afternoon meal, pre-dinner, and dinner at my regular times—not to mention supper and my midnight snack."

"Man, you're acting like Ilyana!" Marth exclaimed. "You take your food _way _too seriously."

"No. Ilyana... there was something _wrong _with Ilyana. I just eat 'cause... I love it, it's delicious, and I don't gain weight!"

"Who's Ilyana?" Link asked while eating his cheeseburger.

"This really skinny girl in Ike's army who was _always_ hungry. Seriously, it was totally insane. If she could, she'd eat twenty-four/seven—and she'd _still _be hungry! I saw her eat a whole turkey in ten minutes once. I mean, Ike or _maybe _you could do that, but imagine this eighty-pound, five-three, stick-body girl do that!"

"Yeah, she was like Marth's evil female twin—skinny and always eating!" Ike laughed. "She always stole from my friend Soren... it was hilarious. He was always all, 'Hey, what happened to my lamb shank... ILYANA!'"

"Mmmm. You guys have such a different game than me. In Twilight Princess especially, there's like no one to talk to except for this girl called Midna. And now _she's _gone. Well, doesn't matter now. Now I've got all you guys."

"Yeah, speaking of games, can we get back on topic to this weird Kid Icarus stuff?" Marth said, twisting his unused napkin.

"Marth. It's always _you _who takes the fun away from conversations like this." Ike sighed.

"Ignoring that. What d'you think this brewing trouble stuff is?" Marth asked.

"Well... I have no idea. I mean, all the bad guys are here..." Link was lost in thought.

"Maybe they've found out some way to communicate with their henchmen."

"True," Link agreed. "What's your opinion, Ike?"

"Huh?"

"I said, what's your opinion?"

"My opinion on what?"

"Never mind." Link could see that Ike was now entirely focused on eating, and therefore was cut off from the conversation entirely. "So, Marth, what's our theory?"

"Um... trouble is brewing in our home worlds, and the enemies' henchmen might be behind it," Marth concluded.

"Okay, it's a _really _good thing that we're meeting with Pia tonight!" Link laughed.

Marth and Link talked of other things as they waited for Ike to finish. At twelve-thirty, Ike finally stopped eating.

"Mmmm. Close enough to one o'clock. But I'm supposed to _start _eating now! This has messed up my whole body clock!"

"Oh, Ike. Why?" Marth shook his head in disdain.

"Well... what do you guys wanna do? We've got some time to kill 'til ten..." Link looked around.

"I don't know about you guys, but I need to burn this energy. How's a ninety-nine stocker sound?" Ike nodded, smiling.

Marth whistled. "You sure?"

"Sure I'm sure. Link, you in?"

"Why not?" And so they went off to a grueling, fatiguing, wearying, heinous, ninety-nine stock brawl.

**Abusing the thesaurus is fun! And now the plot is reavealed... sort of... but now it's even more confusing... please review!**


	13. Shocking Truth

Marth nervously waited by the In-World Teleporter at 9:40 at night. He didn't really want to be the first to Skyworld, and there was no way that the other two would get there before him. He hoped that they would have no hard feelings toward him for their crushing defeat: he had first defeated Link with twenty-three stocks left, then defeated Ike with nineteen left.

He shivered from the cold wind. He felt a bit sorry for Pia—he knew what it was like to be in a new place with only one friend. No, scratch that—two friends. He winced at the memory... alone in a strange place, with no family left, not knowing if Lyn would survive her head injury... no. He wouldn't think about that. Those memories were not to be dredged up ever again.

"Yo! Marth!" Ike's arrival and jovial greeting jolted Marth out from his dark thoughts.

"Hey, man," Marth smiled weakly. "No hard feelings?"

"Nah. We went in knowing that only one would win, and only one of us won. So's Link here yet?"

"Yeah, he's right here." Marth gestured at the empty air. "Only he's invisible. Ow!" Marth clutched his foot and jumped up and down on the other. "Link, you idiot! You stepped on my foot!"

Ike rolled his eyes.

"Hey, Emblem warriors." Link actually was coming now. "9:50... well..."

"Oh! That close? Well, let's go then!" Ike dashed off in the direction of Skyworld.

"Ike, wait!" Marth cried. Ike stopped in his tracks and almost fell over.

"Yeah, what?" Ike asked.

"It's rude to arrive early!"

"So?"

"So..." Marth sighed in exasperation. "So... wait for five minutes!"

"We'll say our watches were fast."

"We don't have any watches!"

"_Link_," Ike said finally, after the argument had gone on in that manner for a while. "What should we do?"

"Well, now it's ten, 'cause you two spent so long _arguing_!"

"Oh. Well, let's go, then," Ike repeated.

When they got to Skyworld, Pia was already sitting on the edge of one of the platforms. She smiled at them as they (somewhat awkwardly) sat down next to her.

"Wow, you guys actually came? That's so cool. Thank you."

"Why wouldn't we come?" Ike asked.

"Well... I don't know. I don't have much experience with guys. I didn't know you'd take me seriously."

"The swords were a nice touch," said Marth dryly.

"Oh, yeah! That was so fun! I don't think I'll ever be able to move my arms again due to my lifting of Ike's stupidly big sword!"

"Oh, that sounded so wrong," Ike said emotionlessly.

"Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay. Just ask me a question, and we can glide along gently from there." Pia had a dreamy expression on her face.

"You're really weird."

"Ike! Will you _ever _learn manners?" Marth scolded Ike.

"No, it's okay. I know I am."

"Wow, way to back me up, Pia," Marth said defeatedly.

"We _are _three of the four who were supposed to be united, right?" Link asked, completely out of the blue.

"Yes, you fool."

Link pumped his fist in the air. "Knew it!"

"Okay, great. Now what's with all this trouble brewing and whatnot?" Marth asked, taking Link's cue to get down to business.

"Well, you see... um. It's... complicated. Do you want my story or... the biiiig story first?" She spread her arms wide and looked at them in a serious way.

"Biiiig story first!" Ike mimicked her.

"Okay. So, as you may know, I was a friend of Pit's growing up. The reason I'm calling only you three here is because... I have a crush on Pit. And I don't want him to know that." Pia's skin darkened a little. "And it's really unlike me to act like this... all stressing out over love and stuff... so don't get used to it, 'kay?

"Anyway, the Elders of Skyworld sent me here to warn you guys and Pit of the trouble brewing in your respective Worlds. I'm not sure exactly what this trouble is, and neither are they; we're just aware that something's happening, and it's somehow linked to Skyworld.

"I haven't told Pit about this yet; they told me to wait a bit before telling him. He can get paranoid." Pia rolled her eyes. "But it's important for you three to know, because this trouble stuff involves your Worlds." She took a deep breath. "Sorry if that was short... it was a pretty big setup, huh?"

Link shrugged. "Well, maybe it just wasn't as big of a mystery as I thought."

Marth nodded thoughtfully. "That makes sense," he said approvingly. "So you came here to warn us and Pit?"

"Yeah. You know that business with the enemies? I bet that's linked to our trouble. Looks like I came right on schedule. Although... it's going to look like I've got some sort of involvement in all this."

Ike smiled. "Don't worry. We've got your back."

Pia smiled. "Thanks, guys."

"Well... I've got a question."

"Shoot."

"Are you Greek or Italian?" Ike asked.

"And Pia looked at Ike strangely," said Pia, looking at Ike strangely.

Marth started making some odd noises like an animal in pain. After a while of staring at him in incredulity, they realized that he was stifling a laugh. Pia started hitting him, but Marth couldn't stop. After a while, everyone was laughing, including Pia.

"I _really _hope you're all laughing at Marth and not me." Pia said when the hysteria had died down.

"Yeah, we are. Laughing at Marth, I mean." Ike said.

"Wow. Is this like a whole night of, 'Let's make Marth feel bad?'" Marth gave Ike and Link the big blue kicked-puppy sad eyes.

"Yes, let's do that." Ike put on a sneer. "Marth has no frie-ends, nyah nyah nyah!"

"You know what? You suck."

"I know, right?" Link looked at Ike with disdain.

Ike's knotted cape suddenly came undone. "Whoops," he said, fumbling to fix it.

"Why _do _you wear capes, anyway?" Pia asked. "I mean, they look... um..."

"Well," Ike said, having tied the knot securely, "I used to wear it so I could sleep... just about anywhere. And I still can."

"Yeah. Most Lords wear them. They're the height of fashion where we come from... depending on the quality of the fabric." Marth eyed Ike's torn cape with distaste.

"Yeah, the height of fashion... in, like, the sixth century." Link snickered.

Ike eyed his cape dubiously, then shrugged. "Whatever. I don't care _what _you guys say—I'm keeping it. I can _still _sleep just about anywhere."

"Hey, Link, is it true that you hated your 'Hero Clothes' when you first got them?" Pia asked.

"Who told you that?" Link asked angrily. Then his anger subsided. "Oh, wait... are you talking about when I was twelve or seventeen?"

"Twelve."

"Oh, yeaaah... I reaaaaaalllly hated them. They were dorky... and hot... and uncomfortable... man."

"So, what makes them different now?" It was Ike's turn to snicker at Link. Link swatted Ike's shoulder.

"Well, when I was seventeen, well... I mean, I was a friggin' _rancher_. I herded friggin' _goats. Anything _besides what I normally did was exciting. And being claimed as a hero—phew.

"And also... Pia, you so totally owe me an explanation."

Pia feigned surprise very badly. "Link, what is this explanation you speak of? I have no recollection of promising you anything!"

Link growled. "Come on, Pia, I've been waiting."

Pia sighed. "All right then, Mr. Impatient. But... um..." She hemmed and hawed.

"Aaargh! Don't tell me you don't _know_!" Link exclaimed.

"Well, I'm sorry. I'm not good at explaining things. I need Pit to explain a bunch of things to me."

"So just _read _his_ mind_!" Marth shouted.

"I don't feel like it," Pia said primly.

"Gah! Pia, you are a _very _annoying little girl. And I've had my share of annoying little girls!" Marth, wagging his finger at her.

"Um, excuse me, I'm fourteen and a half. I figured it out. And I'm aging _normally _now." Pia saw question marks in their eyes, and so clarified: "In Angel Land, we have a really screwy aging system. I can't fully explain it. But not anymo-ore!" Pia sang the last part.

"You're really, really weird," Ike said appreciatively.

"Yeah, I know. I get told that about fifty hundred million times a day." She nodded, like she had just made an important scientific point. "And that makes fifty hundred million and two."

"And two?"

"One's the one you said earlier, plus the one now, plus the fifty hundred million."

"Oh, Lord." Marth put his head in his hands.

"Admit it. You love me." Pia hugged Marth.

"_Pia_! You're invading my personal bubble!"

"Sorry, Marth." Pia kept hugging him.

Marth sighed. "Let me rephrase that. Ahem—if you don't get off of me _right this second_, there will be consequences."

Pia held on.

Marth opened his mouth, then hung his head.

"Oh, Marth. You're such a wuss." Link rolled his eyes.

Suddenly, Marth's head whipped up. "Oh, man... I totally forgot all about Zelda! What'm I gonna tell her?"

"I told you, Marth. Temporary insanity." Ike smiled half-heartedly.

Marth moaned. "Yeah, right. She'll never let me hear the end of it."

"And you know what _I _want to hear?" Link said. "More about this Aegeus Harah character. Who is he, and what connection does he have to you?"

"You know, I have a feeling... oh, never mind. The point is, I can't explain it as well as I used to be able to."

"Y-you... you said that you would explain...!" Link was fuming.

"Um, actually, I never said that. I said that I would explain _later_. Not now." Pia smiled. She was still hugging Marth. "I can't get over how cool it is to talk to you. It would be like... oh, you talking to Anri or something."

"Don't you know anything else?" Ike asked. "I mean, you seem to know a lot about us."

"Well, I looked you guys up on my own time. Yeah, I have a life."

"Well, if you don't know anything... who's gonna explain to us?" Link asked.

"Pit, of course."

"Oh. When?"

"Let's say... oh... two nights? I guess? I kind of want to settle down a bit before he explains. And that's when I have to report back to Skyworld for a report on how things are going. I'm guessing by then we'll have the scoop on what these enemies are planning."

...

Pit waited in his house for Pia to come back. He sighed. Having her here made him feel a bit sad—it was nice to have her here, of course, but it made him think of old friends... old adventures... Sasha, Agamemnon, Aegeus... That terrible day, the day before he'd left for Brawl World. He sighed again. Poor Aegeus.

"Hey! Guess who's back?" Pia twirled in.

"And where have you been?" Pit asked distractedly. His mind was on other things.

"That's for me to know and you to find out." She stretched. "Mmmm... I can't wait for tomorrow."

"Why? Savor the moment!"

"I _am_. But tomorrow's gonna be even better!" She danced over to Pit. "I get to see you again... no more school... and I get to see Marth and Ike and Link and Lyn and Saki... and everyone else... how awesome is my life right now?"

Pit stared at her. She tended to have a lot of mood swings, but she never seemed this happy. He realized that she was often ecstatic about things he took for granted.

Pia sighed contentedly. "I hope this is gonna be the start of a really fun life. I'm on my own. You know what it's like, Pit? It's like being a new person. Nobody knows how you were before. It's like being..." She yawned. "Tired."

Pit laughed. "I know what you mean. Like... no one knows anything about Sasha... or Lykei... or Deidahrah... it's weird. They don't know anything about that second generation. They just _roughly_ know that classic story from when I was, like, six."

Pia nodded. "I can assure you right now that I was totally listening to everything you said, because I'm about to change the subject." She held out her arms. "Hug, please?"

Pit eyed her dubiously, then shrugged. "Sure, why not." They hugged.

Pia walked into the other room. "Well, I'm going to bed. See ya."

"Uh... bye."

**Hmmm. Looks like Ike is smarter than they thought he was. And also, foreshadowing of several important and unimportant OCs! I hope this one was better. Please review on this, I'm keeping my fingers crossed!**


	14. Forgive and Forget?

**Marth really, **_**really **_**hates Zelda now. Just a reminder.**

_A boy, about fourteen or fifteen years old,__ was standing in front of Marth__. He had blond hair and black eyes, dressed in a toga like Pit's, only black. He had a bloody lip and looked roughed up. He was trembling._

_ Marth stepped toward him. He held out his hand kindly. The boy stared at him, then smiled evilly. His eyes suddenly glowed dull, dark red. He pulled out a sword and lunged at the defenseless Marth. _

Marth's eyes snapped open. His hair stuck to his forehead with sweat. A dream... a rare experience. And he remembered it perfectly. At the last second... Marth had glimpsed wings, black wings, protruding from the boy's back._ Like the Ravens, _Marth thought. But that boy wasn't a Raven—not any Laguz.

Marth got up and walked over to his desk. He took out a small blue notebook and made a note to himself to ask Pit about it. He couldn't risk a mental note.

Marth stared out the window into the night. He had vague memories—a reluctant red-haired boy, dared to throw a rock through the window of the High Prince... dressing in peasant's clothes and climbing out a window... Marth shook his head vigorously. He couldn't even think about the good memories, lest the bad memories resurface.

Marth opened the door and walked down the stone hall to Ike's room. Ike's messy room was strewn with comic books and video games, food wrappers and paper airplanes. Ike was snoring softly on his messy, always-unmade bed.

Marth kneeled down and looked at him. He laughed softly. Ike had lost his parents in a much more brutal way then Marth had, but that was really the only loss of Ike's life. Marth hadn't missed his parents too-too much... he got over it in two years or so. But everyone else... Elice, Shiida, Merric...

Marth bit his lip to stop the tears. He had thought the names. All three of the most painful losses. Sister, girlfriend, brother-in-law...

Marth concentrated. He couldn't think. Couldn't remember. It would kill him.

Ike found him there the next morning, sitting cross-legged on the ground with very red eyes.

...

Marth and Ike stood in front of Hyrule's castle. Marth had delayed for hours, saying first that he had had a bad night (which was true, so Ike cut him some slack), then saying that it would be rude to interrupt them during lunch, and that they were probably out anyway. Then he wasted the afternoon reading and playing video games, then delayed _again_, saying they were probably eating dinner. Finally, at seven o'clock, Marth had run out of excuses not to apologize to Zelda.

Ike nudged Marth, who sighed and walked to the door. He grabbed the heavy knocker and banged it three times on the door.

"Please be Link," Marth prayed. "Please be Link, please be Link, please be Link..."

Unfortunately, the gods of Fire Emblem weren't smiling down on Marth that day. Princess Zelda flounced to the door, her radiant smile quickly morphing to a sneer.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't little Mr. Anger Issues. Have something to say to me?" She tapped her foot and crossed her arms.

Marth couldn't stand that smug grin on her gloating face. He ground his teeth.

"I'm oh so very sorry I insulted you, Miss Princess."

"Yeah. He's, just, um... um, um, um... sick. Yeah. Got a headache." Ike said unhelpfully.

"There. I said it. Happy?" Marth said, ignoring Ike.

Zelda put her hands on her hips and gave the boys a dazzling smile. "Perfect. Now grovel."

"_What?_"

"You heard me, Martha. Get down on your knees."

Marth's vision blurred with anger. He opened his mouth but no words came out.

"I... will... _never_... bow... to... you." Marth's voice was deathly quiet. "I am the prince of Altea. I bow... to no one."

Zelda yawned. "Prince or not, I don't care. I'm a princess. Bow."

Marth turned and walked away, his long blue cape billowing behind him.

Ike turned back, then turned back to Zelda. "I'll, uh... get back to you later..." He ran off and caught up with Marth.

"Hey, man," Ike said, still running to keep up with the long-striding Marth. "Uh, yeah. Good job, buddy. But... um... you do realize that you _will_ eventually run into her sometime... right?

Marth remained silent, still walking.

"I-I mean... hey, at least you apologized, right?"

"Ike, shut up!" Marth whirled on Ike, who stopped in his tracks. "Just... shut up, will you?_ Shut up_!"

Ike fell silent, taken aback.

All of a sudden, they heard footsteps behind them. Ike turned, then called to Marth, "Marth! It's cool! It's just Link!"

Marth turned. Link caught up to them, out of breath.

"Hey, guys! Glad I caught up with you. Man, I didn't expect it to be over that fast..." Link noticed Ike making cut-throat motions across his neck. Link cleared his throat. "Um, anyway, I was thinking. Seriously, Samus isn't back yet? _Now _we should start getting worried. I had a bad feeling about this..."

"Hey, yeah, you're right." Ike frowned.

"And she went looking for the _enemies._ That can only mean one thing—kidnapping!" Marth cried.

"This is _not _good," Link muttered. "Look, we don't want everyone freaking out on us. Let's just get Pit and Pia to help us."

**This is NOT the end.**


	15. Rescue, Times 2

Marth, Ike, and Link were running towards Skyworld when they heard someone calling them. All three turned at once. A little blond boy was running toward them, panting.

"Lucas," Link sighed. "What is it?"

"Huhhh... have you guys seen... Ness?" Lucas gasped.

"No... why?"

"Haven't seen him for days," Lucas explained. "Last I saw him he was going to the Lake to challenge Rayquaza."

"The—the Lake?" Link stuttered. Questions and answers began to form in his mind.

"The Lake... isn't that where—"

"Yes!" Link cut Ike off. "Yes. Yes..." Link saw Falco walking by. _What a stroke of luck! _Link thought as he ran toward Falco.

"Falco! Falco! Falco!" Link yelled.

Falco turned. "You only have to say it once, you know."

"Falco," Link gasped. "You know the other day, when you told us about the bad guys at the Lake?"

"Yeah..."

"Well, are you _sure _that's all you saw? Sure there wasn't anyone else there? You didn't hear _anything_ else? 'Cause Lucas last saw Ness at the Lake, and, well..."

Falco's face took on a brooding expression. Slowly, he spoke. "I heard... a Dark Cannon... I thought they'd be going off to... to use it on the princesses, or something, but... they didn't, a-apparently..." Falco started hyperventilating.

Link bit back a swear for Lucas's sake. "Hey, remember when I said that this was not good? I lied. This is a _catastrophe_."

Falco ruffled his feathers. "What do we do? They have Dark Cannons, and almost _all_ of them are there!"

"Falco, it's cool. You can stay here. If we don't come back soon, get Saki and Fox and come save us, 'kay?" Marth said.

"Good plan. You guys watch yourselves." Falco dashed off in the direction of the Pleiades hanger.

The four of them ran on to Skyworld, happily surprised that Falco hadn't insisted on following them. He was a good guy, but he tended to be a bit bossy on missions...

"Hold up!" Marth said. He turned around. "Just where do you think you're going, Lucas?"

Link and Ike turned around and noticed that the little boy was following them.

Lucas stamped the ground. "He's MY friend! I'm going to save him too!"

"No way." The three older boys said at the same time.

Lucas scowled at them. "Fine. Guess I'll make an announcement over the loudspeaker that Samus got captured and we need only the _best _fighters to save her. A.k.a., probably not you guys. And everyone will probably get in a huge uproar anyway, and we'll all be too freaked out to even formulate a plan."

"You _wouldn't_," said Marth.

"Yeah. You ain't got the guts," said Ike.

Lucas stuck out his chin. "Try me."

Link huffed in exasperation. "Rrrgh... fine. Come with us."

Ike and Marth looked at Link with total disbelief. "_What_?"

They fell silent when Link fixed his wolfish glare on them. "C'mon, guys."

...

"So, not only has one of the greatest space bounty hunters in the history of the video game universe been captured, you're also insisting that we bring a nine-year-old kid along to rescue her?"

Marth, Ike, and Link looked at Pit sheepishly.

"Uh, well... yeah." Marth said. "Look, it was Link's idea..."

"He's MY friend!" Lucas insisted. "_I_ want to rescue him!"

"He does have powers, Pit," Pia said softly. "It's not like he's total dead weight."

"Well... anyway, this is total suicide! I mean, come on! We don't even have a _plan_! And we're taking on almost _all_ the enemies! Who captured _Samus Aran_!"

"And we are breaking up! All our sentences! Into random fragments! With exclamation points at the end!" Pia said. "Pit, look. It's up to _us _to save Samus, and us only. We should at least _start _by spying on them with the Pool of Visions."

Pit sighed, then shrugged. "It's worth a shot. And this could be fun. I'm just worried about Lucas. But, you know... come on. Let's start."

The six of them gathered around the Pool of Visions.

"I can't see," Lucas complained. Ike picked him up and put him on his shoulders.

Marth stood directly across from Pit and Pia. "Um, how are we all going to see this if we're all looking at it from different angles?"

Pit looked a little embarrassed. "Um, actually, none of you will be able to see it. Only angels can."

"What a rip!" Ike complained.

"Don't worry. We'll dictate," Pia said.

Ike, Link, Marth, and Lucas saw the silvery water swirl, but nothing else. Pit and Pia apparently saw something, though.

"Okay..." Pit said. "They're all at their little Ridley hanger in the Frigate Orpheon. And... they have Dark Cannons."

"This is bad," Pia said. "_Very _bad. They have Ness _and _Samus. Ness is a trophy, but Samus isn't."

"Oh." Lucas's lip quivered. He hugged Ike's neck.

"C'mon, little guy. It'll be okay." Ike comforted Lucas.

"Guys, if we're gonna make a plan, we have to make it _now_. We don't have much time before people start to wonder where Samus is," Link said. "But I don't think we should say it aloud. Just a precaution."

_Good. I have just the ability for that. _Everyone jumped and looked at the smugly grinning Pia.

"Pia?" Marth gasped. "How—"

_Angels can do it_—_sharing thoughts. It really helps, like, in school and stuff. Or when we're being falsely accused. But never mind that. Okay, here's my plan..._

**The price for two chapters at once is a cliffhanger. But what is Pia's plan?... It's for me to know and you to find out.**


	16. Operation NesSamuSavers

**Yay! Action! And some foreshadowing!**

Marth, Pit, Pia, and Lucas hopped off their Arwings and headed inside the giant replica of the Frigate Orpheon.

"Sure was nice of the Star Foxers to lend us their Arwings," Marth said.

Pit shuddered. "Poor Samus," he said. "It must suck to be trapped in, like, your own game's spaceship."

"Oh, Marth—" Pia said. "Tonight I have to go." Marth winced and nodded. "So now we have a time limit. We have to be done with this by twelve."

"Why?" Lucas asked.

"Yeah, why?" Pit echoed.

"That's for me to know and you to find out." Pia stared ahead intently. "We need some sort of sub-plan. Let's just go over who we're facing one more time."

"Ganondorf, Bowser, King Dedede... hmmm, who else?" Marth counted off on his fingers as he spoke.

"Well, Wolf! Duh," Pit said.

"Oh, yeah. And what are their weaknesses?"

"Well, Dedede is super-strong, but super-slow. Marth _could_ fight him," Pia reasoned. "Wolf might be a problem—he's small and strong. Not easy to hit. But luckily, we're all light-fast characters, and they're all strong-slow characters. And we have a plan, too. We should divvy up enemies now, so we know who we're preparing for."

"That could backfire," Marth pointed out. "What if they're picking _us_ out or it turns out they have more people on their side, or something?"

"Well, just try to find your dude and stick with him!" Pia said.

"I bet they booby-trapped the path," Lucas said.

"So let's stop moving and decide now. I'll take Dedede, since we can both fly." Pit said.

"Thanks, Pit. I really didn't want Dedede. I'll take... Ganondorf." Pia said.

"I want Bowser!" Lucas cried. "I call Bowser!"

"'Kay, guess that means Wolf for me. Good, 'cause we're about the same size. Plus my weapon has a long range," Marth said.

"Yeah, but remember the plan," Pit warned. "Be prepared to switch."

"Speaking of weapons," Pia said, "we should get them out." She twirled her hand in the air and her weapon appeared, a gold-and-white bow a little longer and thinner than Pit's. Pit mimicked her, but pulled his bow apart.

Marth drew his sword. Lucas looked around, than flamboyantly shrugged.

"I ain't got any weapons," he said. "'Cept for my yo-yo and stick."

Marth laughed. "Your weapon's in your hard little head." He patted Lucas's head kindly.

Marth took a step forward, and Lucas eagerly followed him. Suddenly, they all heard a great rumbling noise. Before anyone could react, the ground beneath Marth and Lucas cracked open like a fissure. Marth and Lucas tumbled down and disappeared.

"MARTH! LUCAS!" Pia screamed. She and Pit rushed to the crack and saw a horrifying sight—Marth was dangling from a jutting-out rock by one hand. In his other hand, he held his sword and Lucas. Pia and Pit could see and hear the bubbling, boiling hot lava of Norfair at the bottom.

Marth and Lucas could hear it too. Lucas was crying and holding onto Marth for dear life. Marth's face was sweaty, and it showed extreme terror. Pia and Pit could see he was in great pain.

"HELP!" Lucas screamed.

Marth closed his eyes. "Hurry... help... us... ow," he whispered faintly.

"Oh my gods!" Pit yelled. He dropped down to his knees by the fissure and held out his hand.

"Try to raise Lucas up to me!" Pit said.

Marth tried, but he almost lost his grip.

"I can't," he said softly. "I need to throw him. Catch him."

Marth closed his eyes tightly. He thrusted Lucas up into the air, letting him go while keeping his grip on his sword.

Pit caught Lucas and tried to comfort him.

"Marth! I'll get your sword! Grab my hand!"

But Marth didn't hear Pia. He heard different voices—voices from a long time ago.

_"Ike, you go across first! I'll help them from here!"_

_ "Marth! What's that? Behind you!"_

_ Pain... burning... arms... on fire..._

No one else heard the voices. No one else felt the pain. But Marth did. And he saw the black again. Fainting, just like before. Falling, just like before. And soon, he knew, the burning would start. Just like before.

"What happened? He just fell?"

Pia shook her head. Her heart was still pounding. She couldn't believe what she had just done. Who knew she could fall faster than Marth, let alone catch him and carry him up?

Pit was breathing hard too. "Is he okay? Did he get burnt?"

Pia shook her head again. "No. The heat probably hurt him, but he didn't actually get burnt."

"Least he didn't fall while he was holding _me_," Lucas said grimly.

"Wonder _why _he fell..." Pit mused.

Marth stirred. His forehead wrinkled slightly in concentration. "No... I was pushed... by magic." He murmured.

"Marth? Marth, are you awake? Are you okay?"

"Lyn?" Marth opened his eyes, his eyelashes fluttering. "Oh... sorry, Pia. My God... I... I was hallucinating." He sat up shakily. "Ow... Lucas, are you okay?" The little boy nodded.

Marth stood up. "My sword..."

Pia handed it to him, grasping the blade. "I remembered that it repelled all who were not members of the Lowell family," she said. "I had to hold you in one hand and grab onto the blade with the other."

Marth took his sword and rubbed his forehead. "Holy... you guys, I'm sorry. I can't... I've been having flashbacks. B-but I think I'm okay now." He drew a shaky breath. "My God. We could have been _killed_."

"Seriously. Why would bad guys like... like _Dedede_ do something like that? Norfair lava is lethal when we're not brawling." Pit said.

Pia shrugged. "We can make a mental note. But right now, we have to do what we came here to do. Be on the lookout, guys."

They forged onward. Now and then, Pit would yell and shoot an arrow, and something would explode.

"Ugh," Pia said, rubbing a cramp. "How could Samus _walk_ all the way here? By herself! And not even with her power suit on?"

"Well, well, well. Look who's breaking up all her sentences into random fragments now." Pit laughed quietly. "_I _think this is fun. I like these adventures... you know, kind of traveling and not _just _fighting..."

All of a sudden, the ceiling above them opened. For a second, all they heard was hissing. Then came the snakes.

Hundreds of snakes, writhing and hissing, with huge poisonous fangs.

"Holy crap!" Pia jumped backwards and shot golden arrows at the snakes. Marth slowly backed away, fending them off with his sword. Lucas helped eagerly, sucking up their energy with his PSI magnet.

"Pit?" Pia yelled. "Where—" And then she saw his face.

Terror. Pure terror, just like Marth's face when he was dangling. He was remembering his first fight with Medusa—the one that he had failed.

"Protect Pit!" Pia screamed at Marth. "Lucas! PK Fire!"

The combined attack of Lucas's PK Fire and Pia's golden arrow exploded and destroyed all the snakes.

Pit was shivering uncontrollably, still rooted to the spot with terror.

Pia put her arm around him. "Pit... it's okay now. They're all gone."

Pit shook his head vigorously and blinked. "Y-yeah. I'm... I'm okay."

"We're close enough now to the base that they can't unleash anything else... hopefully," Marth said.

"Pia... how'd they know?" Pit asked. His lip trembled slightly.

Pia squeezed his hands. "I don't know," she murmured.

Pit stood up shakily, looking like Marth had right after _he _got up.

"What we're scared of," Lucas said suddenly. Pit, Marth, and Pia looked down at him in surprise. "They're getting what we're scared of."

"B-but..." Pia stammered. But before she could say anything else, something else came scuttling out of the ceiling compartment.

Spiders. Large, black spiders. Black widows. Their poison could kill.

Pia's eyes widened. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Not even a scream.

Pit jumped in front of her, repaying the favor, and shot well-aimed blue arrows at the spiders. Lucas again used his PSI magnet. Marth used his Shield Breaker in different dirctions.

At long last, all of the spiders were gone. Pit checked one last time, then used a honing arrow to kill the last group.

"How does he get it so perfect?" Marth marveled.

Pit turned to Pia, who was hyperventilating. "Pia, it's okay. They're gone now. You can breathe again."

Pia threw her arms around Pit's shoulders. "O-oh... m-m-my... g-gods... that was l-like m-m-my w-w-worst n-nightmare c-c-come to l-l-life!" She was sobbing so hard she could barely talk.

Pit hugged her back. "Shhh... they're gone now."

Marth shifted from foot to foot uncomfortably. "Um, yeah. Um, guys? Um, mission? Um, saving Samus and Ness?"

Pia broke away and wiped her eyes. "Yeah. Right. S-sorry, guys."

"S'okay," Pit murmured, remembering the snakes.

"Yay! Fighting time!" Lucas said nervously.

"You'll do fine, little guy," Marth reassured Lucas.

Lucas took a deep breath, then took out his yo-yo. He around-the-worlded it a couple of times before it caught on a pipe on the roof. He pressed a button on the yo-yo, and it instantly rewinded, taking Lucas with it.

Marth retreated to a corner and wrapped his cape around himself. He instantly blended in with his surroundings.

"Thanks, Meta Knight." Marth whispered.

Pit and Pia stood "alone" in front of the huge door to the Ridley hanger. Marth, nearly invisible, and Lucas, hanging out of sight, would give the enemies the impression that Pit and Pia were alone and overwhelmed.

Pia rubbed some dirt on her and Pit's faces to give them more of a scared-child look.

Pit exhaled. "Well, how should we do this?"

Pia smiled mysteriously. She contorted her face into a pouty, obnoxious-looking expression. She started banging on the door.

"Open up!" She cried in a pop-princess kind of voice.

Slowly, the door opened in a foreboding fashion. Pia whimpered and clutched onto Pit. Pit raised his bow in a show of false false bravado** (1)**.

Ganondorf, the demon king himself, stepped out first. His sinister yellow eyes darted around, looking for the reinforcements. He looked down at the terrified-looking Pit and Pia.

"No one else?" He asked in a gravelly voice. "Just _you_?"

"Y-yeah!" Pit said, looking into Ganondorf's face scaredly. "J-just us! Sorry to disappoint you!"

"Y-yeah!" Pia chimed in, clutching Pit's arm tightly. "A-and we're gonna beat you!"

Ganondorf chuckled. "Talk isn't much." He snapped his fingers. Out walked the hulking, menacing kings Bowser and Dedede, followed by the sleek and strong Wolf... and a whole bunch of Primids and Subspots.

Pit and Pia looked around with expressions that they hoped were of sheer terror.

Apparently, they were. Ganondorf smiled. "Any last words?" He asked.

Pit gulped. "Um, actually..." He coughed under his breath. The invisible Marth tightened his grip on his sword. Lucas, hanging undetected right over the enemies' heads, began storing PK Starstorm power in his hands.

"I do," Pit said. He closed his eyes and shouted, "Let the ribs explode!"

Ganondorf and the others began to laugh, but stopped when they heard a loud rumbling coming from the ceiling.

"Oh, so Meta Knight did bring that Halberd after all?" Wolf asked.

"Um, no. Not exactly." Marth unwrapped his cape and joined Pit and Pia with his sword drawn. The enemies snickered. Lucas jumped down with his fingertips sparkling and his eyes glowing. The enemies' smiles faltered a bit.

Marth pointed at the ceiling. "That would be Ike's fully charged Eruption breaking through your roof."

Scarcely had he finished speaking when the stone roof caved in, sending

chunks of rock flying everywhere. Ike, Link, and Saki Amamiya zoomed down into the hall riding hoverboards.

"Sorry we're late," Saki smiled, "but we love to crash a party!"

"Oh, _what_, G-dork?" Ike was still smoking from his slightly self-destructing Eruption, but he smiled smugly like Saki. "_We _tricked you! _You _failed!"

Link stared right into the furious Ganondorf's yellow eyes, also smugly grinning. "Oh, don't tell me you're _surprised_, G-dork! You should have known we'd have something like this thought up."

Ganondorf sneered. "Of course. Link, sometimes your plans are just _too _easy to see through." He said that, but his surprised, darting eyes told a different story.

"All right!" Pit yelled. "The fight... is... oooooooon!"

Pit, Pia, Marth, Ike, Link, Saki, and Lucas yelled and charged at the enemies. Pia and Link passed a quick understanding and switched positions, Link taking on Ganondorf while Pia fought off the Primids with her exploding arrows.

Lucas ducked easily under Bowser and hit him with PK Thunder and PK Freeze from both under and behind.

Marth fought Wolf in a graceful, dancing way, twisting in the air to meet him, backflipping away from his Wolf Flash and downward smash-attacking him.

Ike and Pit had also switched, with Ike taking on Dedede and Pit shooting well-aimed arrows at the hearts of the Shayda.

Saki flew around on his hoverboard, shooting both the main enemies and the Primids with his Cannon Sword, but it turned out to be mostly a diversion. Before any of the enemies could react, he jumped off his board and freed (and stole a kiss from) Samus. Samus, fiery, angry, and ready to roll, engaged the already weak Bowser in a vicious battle, allowing Lucas to detrophyize Ness.

It was now Pit, Pia, Marth, Ike, Link, Saki, Lucas, Samus, and Ness against Ganondorf, Bowser, Dedede, Wolf, and a considerably smaller army of Primids. The enemies, knowing what was good for them, held off the team with their Dark Cannons and escaped, all hopping into the Wolfen and exiting through the hole in the ceiling.

"Ugh. Cowards," Pia sniffed.

"Hey, c'mon! We beat them, sort of!" Saki cried happily.

"Maybe..." Marth thought aloud.

"Wow! Thanks, guys!" Ness said. "_All _you guys came just for the two of us?"

"Yeah! How awesome is _that_!" Lucas high-fived Ness high and low.

"Hey, Pit. Time?" Pia asked.

"Eleven-thirty." Pit replied.

"Oh, man. We better get you two little guys home," Marth said. The two boys shook their heads and stifled yawns.

"I'll let you ride my hoverboard..." Saki coaxed.

"Deal!" The sleepy boys shouted.

Samus cleared her throat, looking a bit embarrassed. "We-e-ell, I guess we know that the enemies _were _at the Frigate Orpheon now."

"Man, it seems like such a long time ago that we discussed it," Link said.

"So, uh, yeah. Thanks for, um, rescuing me, you guys."

"Don't mention it," Saki said cheerfully.

**1: False false bravado: while false bravado is a fake display of courage and confidence, Pit demonstrates "false false bravado": pretending to display false bravado to give the appearance of being weak and frightened.**

**Like it? Hope you liked the plan! And I am aware that Saki has a girlfriend... what a womanizer!**


	17. Pit's Story

"Phew! Talk about a pizzazzful night!" Ike exclaimed.

He, Pit, Pia, Marth, and Link were lying in the Skyworld garden, staring up at the considerably larger stars. It was 11:50 at night. Saki had escorted Samus home, and Ness and Lucas had been lovingly tucked in by the Ice Climber Nana.

"Again with the 'pizzazz'," Pia sighed.

"I wish you'd tell me why you're doing this," Pit grumbled. " Just leaving like this."

"Pit... I'm sorry. It's just... you can't know."

Pit huffed indignantly. "Whatever. But you're going to miss my awesome explanation. Have fun doing whatever you're doing."

Pia rolled her eyes as she got up. "Ouch!"

"Oh, sorry." Ike pulled his foot back.

Pia glared at Ike while rubbing her injured foot. "Don't just splay your legs out all over the place! People could trip on them!"

"Hey, I'm _sorry_, okay?"

Pia shot eye daggers at Ike for a little while longer before turning to Pit. "You _are _going to explain, right?"

"Of course."

"Oh... okay. Well... I'll see you guys around."

There was a short silence after she left.

"Finally!" Link said, startling everyone else. "You're _finally _going to explain. I... have been waiting... for _so long_..."

Pit closed his eyes and exhaled. "This is going to be... not a _little _bit awkward. So, you see... you know where I come from, right? Kid Icarus."

Marth, Ike, and Link nodded, wondering where he could be going with this.

"Well... do you know anything _about _Kid Icarus?"

Marth answered cautiously. "Well... there are three layers, right? The Underworld, the Overworld, and Skyworld."

"Right. The Underworld is home to demons and monsters... occasionally prisoners, like me and my friends were when Palutena was overthrown."

Ike cut in. "Yeah, um, Pit? I never really quite understood how, like, a small-time, run-of-the-mill _monster _could overthrow a _goddess_."

"Well, in the actual game, it never really explains it that much. It just kind of gives the notion that Medusa was a former goddess and super-powerful, and Palutena..." Pit ground his teeth together, "Palutena wasn't the _strongest_ goddess in the world. In the World Kid Icarus, or Angel Land, Medusa was given power by Hades, so he could have the Greek angels as slaves and Palutena out of the picture."

"Didn't he, like, get in _trouble _at all?" Link asked.

"Well, he got the humiliation of one of his strongest monsters defeated and one of his greatest plans foiled by a five-year-old kid. But the thing was, Palutena didn't really _want _to punish him—but she warned him that if he stepped out of line again, there _would _be consequences."

"Wasn't there a second game, though? Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters, right?" Marth asked. "And a third? 'Uprising' something-or-other?"

"Yeah... but Palutena didn't really get overthrown in that one. Or the third one... I don't know that much about the third one. It's just a remake, I think. So yeah, she didn't get overthrown in the second. Came close, though... that's what got me the official commander of Palutena's bodyguards." Pit looked dreamy and nostalgic.

"So... that's a big honor?" Ike asked.

"A _huge _honor. And just think—I was, like, five for my first quest, six for my second, and ten when I actually started working as the commander. Ike—it would be like you getting assigned to guard Ashunera.

"So, after I defeated Orcos, the demon from M and M—" Pit cut off suddenly.

"Yeah?" Link asked eagerly.

"It's... awkward," Pit confessed. "That is the exact word for what this entire explanation is going to be. Awkward."

"Why?" Marth asked.

"It's... it brings back memories, too," Pit said. "And they're not all good."

A cold wind whistled through the garden. The boys shivered.

"Some of my friends... they were..." Pit looked disgusted. "_Prejudiced_... against humans." He paused.

"When I came here for the first time two years ago, it was the first time that any humans had seen me exactly as I was—an angel. I mean, I had done business with humans... but none of them knew I was an angel."

"Well... to tell you the truth, Pit, pretty much every human here has talked to a non-human at one point," Marth said. "Ike and the Laguz... me and the Manaketes... Saki and the... ruffians... Mario and pretty much everything where he comes from..."

"It's different, though. No one had ever talked to an angel before. I was the only one of my kind there... my first time actually talking to humans as an angel—making friends with you, even—and I was all alone.

"Anyway, I never got to finish a different explanation from earlier—Ike interrupted me."

"Ummm... what was it about again?" Ike asked sheepishly.

"The three layers... the Underworld is home to demons, ghosts, and monsters, and occasionally prisoners; the Overworld is home to humans, and Skyworld is home to angels and gods. Now, after I defeated Orcos, the humans and the angels lived in harmony—and they knew of each others' existence. Before that... they kind of feared each other, but they had to work together, sort of, to defeat the archangels—I'll get to that later. Gods, this is hard to organize... anyway, over time, the angels and humans stopped talking to each other. The angels remained in Skyworld. Almost immediately, the humans forgot of the angels' real existence, dismissing them as myths, figments of imagination...

"Very recently, the Elders of Skyworld—they're like judges and leaders—started to warn us not to go down to the Overworld with our wings exposed—or better yet, not at all, unless it was on a quest. They said it was dangerous. I'm not sure what it was about, exactly, because soon after they started to tell us those things, I came here.

"There are also archangels. Or, were."

"We know what their names are," Ike said. "We just don't exactly know _what _they are."

"They were created from the cast-off evils of our World," Pit went on. "They were not born naturally—to give them physical form, life essence was taken from two parents—for example, Michael's 'parents' were Hades and the goddess of the elements, Myima, and he was Chanced of Raphael's mother, Yuki-Onna. Gabriel's were a vampire and the demoness Lilith, and Raphael's were the Japanese snow goddess, Yuki-Onna, and the excruciatingly handsome Adonis."

"But the vampire and Lilith and Hades and Myima weren't angels—and neither were Yuki-Onna and Adonis!" Marth said, confused.

"It didn't matter. The 'parents' were only to give them powers and physical form," Pit explained patiently. "The life essence of the parents and the evils of the universe combined to create the archangels—evil, sadistic angels, superior to normal angels in intelligence and power, with giant black wings with feathers like daggers. They terrorized and killed the humans in turn, with each generation.

"Then, a while before I was born, a twist came along. The third generation, Uriel, Cassiel, and Phanuel, had been killed young, before they could do anything at all. The Oracle of Delphi—a future predicter—prophecized that three new archangels would soon be naturally born to real parents, in place of the lost third generation.

"The prophecy came true. The archangel Aegeus Harah was born to a very evil angel named Acrisius and a kind, nervous and... breakable prostitute named Teresa. He was given the essence and powers of Uriel, Michael, and Hades—somtimes normal angels can be given essence of a god or goddess, like Michael was. We call them Chances. So Aegeus was chanced of Hades. When Aegeus was three, and the year I was born, two archangels were born, as twins, to Acrisius's evil friend Ballin and a lady named Laura. One, Agamemnon, was given essence of Cassiel, Gabriel, and Apollo. And his twin _sister_, Ashliela, was given essence of Lilith, Myima, and Artemis. She was a total freak—" Pit winced sadly, "—not only was she an archangel, but she was a _female _archangel, and she wasn't a healer. Agamemnon was fated to be both an archangel and be chanced of Apollo, and that mean he would also have to have a twin sister chanced of Artemis. So Ashliela was made an archangel, and some random male angel born that year was given the lost essence of Phanuel, Raphael, and Adonis—so he would be a handsome fifteen-year-old healer.

"That's the story of Angel Land—and now I'll tell you _my _story.

"I was abandoned as a baby—I still don't know who my birth parents are." Pit's cheerful voice took on a steely edge. "And I don't care. The Elders found me, and found out what made my parents abandon me. My wings were underdeveloped—they weren't sure if it was simply a birth defect or if it was fated to be. Their answer was given to them when Palutena manifested in the room. She told them that I was the reincarnation—as an angel—of the heroes Perseus, Icarus, and Theseus. Due to Icarus's failed flying attempt, I would never be able to fly like the other angels could. But she also said that my powers would make up for that in the future."

"Like, what powers?" Ike asked eagerly.

Pit sighed. "Like... I can suck life essence out of the things around me and channel it into anything I like." Smiling momentarily at their awed faces, Pit went on: "Please don't interrupt 'til the end."

"Anyway, after they found out who I was, a poor, kind lady named Amida offered to raise me. I'm very grateful for that. She explained everything to me as I got older, and she made sure I knew that she wasn't my real mother, to prevent adoption trauma**1** later. She sure acted like a mother, though. She was very poor, as I said before—she was always using her time and money to help others. We had a lot of pets, too—three-legged dogs and birds with broken wings and stuff. She could hardly ever afford delicacies like ambrosia and nectar, though, so I grew up just a bit undernourished.

"After I defeated Orcos when I was six, I had four years to actually be a kid before I got my real job. So, I went to school and stuff. I sat next to a boy named Agamemnon, and everyone else hated him because he was an archangel. That first day, when I walked in... this is what it was like." Pit touched his hand to his head. Mist, whitish-gold mist, formed in his hand. He threw the mist into the center of their circle, and suddenly the four of them were in a whitish gold mist-framed classroom in Skyworld.

...

"Class, we have a new student joining us today." The teacher smiled fixedly. Pit, Marth, Ike, and Link looked up, along with the little angels, to stare at the little blue-eyed, brown-haired boy standing in the front of the room.

"His name is Pit," the teacher said. "Now, I want you all to be very nice to him, because he's already done a lot of great things for us."

The pretty little girls in the class stared at Pit and batted their eyelashes at him. He blushed.

"Pit, my name is Miss Winohag." Pit giggled at the name, but Miss Winohag didn't see.

All of a sudden, a handsome blonde boy raised his hand.

"Yes, Jonathan?" Miss Winohag asked fondly.

"He'll have to sit next to Agamemnon!" The boy said, with false concern in his eyes.

The whole class gasped and turned simultaneously, the older Pit, Marth, Ike, and Link with them, and looked at the slightly darker-haired blonde boy, dressed in black with black wings, sitting in the back, all alone.

Agamemnon put his head down on his desk. Peering closer, the older boys could see the silent tears running down his cheeks.

Miss Winohag looked startled. "Wh-why... Jonathan! You're right! Agamemnon..." She looked as if his name was painful to speak. "Pit... er..."

The young Pit didn't wait for her to finish. He walked proudly to the back of the room and sat in the long-vacant seat at Agamemnon's desk.

Miss Winohag now looked flustered _and _startled. "Ah... yes. Now, you have ten hours... um, I mean minutes..." She turned red amidst the snickers, "until your first class. Try to keep the minimum at a talking." She walked out of the room, dazed, to go get a drink of head-clearing nectar.

The little angels talked with their deskmates happily, often glancing at Pit and Agamemnon's desk. Pit turned to Agamemnon and smiled.

"That kid doesn't seem very nice," Pit said, jerking his head in Jonathan's direction. "So you're Agamemnon? Are you new also?"

Agamemnon lifted his head, his face still streaked with tears. "N-no. I've been here for a year." His voice sounded cracked, hollow—and somewhat confused.

"Oh. Well... do you wanna be friends?"

"Yes."

"So are we friends now?" Pit extended his hand, still smiling.

Agamemnon stared at it with his big, sad, tired black eyes. "No."

"No?" Pit's smile disappeared. He pulled his hand back.

"No."

"Why not?" Pit asked, his lip trembling.

"_I_ want to be friends with _you_... but _you _don't want to be friends with _me_."

"Says who? You seem nice."

"Everyone hates me," Agamemnon muttered, laying his head sideways on his arms, facing Pit. "You wouldn't have any friends besides me."

"Well, who wants friends like _them_ if they're mean to _you _just 'cause you're an archangel?" Pit asked defiantly. He extended his hand again. "We're friends."

Agamemnon shook his hand and smiled, his eyes shining. "I never had a friend before," he said quietly.

...

And they were back in the garden. Pit continued to explain.

"Agamemnon was wrong. Lots of people wanted to be my friend, even if I _was _friends with Agamemnon. They liked me 'cause I was handsome, or funny, or for me saving the world... or maybe I was just good-natured. And modest.

"When Agamemnon was eight, he made a new friend. His name was Aegeus, and he was eleven years old. People always taunted and assualted Agamemnon, but not Aegeus. Aegeus was... menacing. If you taunted Agamemnon—and I've seen this happen—he'd start crying and run, so his powers wouldn't get out of control and he wouldn't hurt someone by accident. If someone even had the guts to _talk_ to Aegeus—let alone taunt him—Aegeus _would _hurt them. Probably not intentionally... but still. They became friends when Aegeus saved Agamemnon from a gang of archangel-haters. I wasn't friends with Aegeus.

"When Aegeus was fifteen, his mother committed suicide—an angel's suicide, imploding her magic in on herself. It looks a bit like a Subspace Bomb, I guess. Her ex, Aegeus's father, Acrisius, had beaten her so badly that it would just be painful for her to live." Pit took a deep breath.

"The next week, Aegeus still hadn't said anything. Not a word. My friends and I were playing a dangerous game—there was a place that was rumored to lead to the palace of the true Angel of Death, not an archangel, like a giant hole in the ground. The game was, you jumped into the hole, and saw how long you could fall before you chickened out and flew back up. Of course, I couldn't play, but they didn't know that.

"No one heard Aegeus sneak up behind me. His Ability—his special power—was sensing people's emotions. And he sensed my fear. He didn't know _why _I was scared—I was shielding my mind from mind-reading—but he knew I was scared.

"He said, sweetly and quietly—poisoned honey—'Hey, you guys, why haven't you let Pit have a turn yet? Have a go, why don't you!' And he pushed me.

"I was terrified. I would never be able to get up—and those who fall into the palace of the Angel of Death never return.

"And suddenly, someone grabbed my hand. It was Pia Shirann... I had never really talked to her that much, but I admired her for standing up to people a lot, even the teachers.

"She made a story off the freaking top of her head. She pretended to be angry at me. She said, 'Pit! Omigods, you guys are all in _such _big trouble! Palutena said you were _never _allowed to play that game!'

"She saved me. Luckily, no one actually got in trouble... and I couldn't tell on Aegeus even if I wanted to, because then people would know I couldn't fly. So Pia and I got to be super good friends.

"When I was thirteen, I got my third quest. Aegeus, Agamemnon, and Agamemnon's sister Ashliela suddenly became vicious and brutal like the archangels of legend. They traveled to the Overworld, killing and torturing humans and burning their villages. Nobody really did anything—they thought they were too young to pose that much of a threat. Aegeus was sixteen; the twins were thirteen. Then, it got serious—they started to tear down our buildings and temples also. My quest was to stop them—I put together a team, too.

"I and two girls named Pia—our Pia—and Lykei, Pia's best friend, were the three heroes who subdued those three. True to the original game, we did use the Three Sacred Treasures. Lykei, using the Light Arrows, fought Ashliela; Pia, using the Silver Armor, fought Agamemnon; I used the Wings of Icarus and took on Aegeus. He was mad hard, just so you know.

"Aegeus was given an unfair trial—his wings were broken and he was forced to endure hard labor and torture in the Underworld for two years. Why was this trial unfair, you ask? Because Aegeus, Agamemnon, and Ashliela weren't acting of their own accord! We realized that they had been possessed, or hypnotized, or _something_, because even when their minds were thoroughly searched—yeah, we can all read minds, except for a few—they all truthfully admitted that they had no idea what had come over them.

"So poor Aegeus was exiled—at least he didn't Fall, and I'll explain that later—and Agamemnon and Ashliela got off easy. He didn't begrudge them that, though... Agamemnon and Ashliela are my age now, fifteen, and they're living in Skyworld. Aegeus is still down in the Underworld... or, no, wait... he may have gotten out recently. It's been two years since then.

"And one last thing—Falling. When an angel breaks a serious rule—murder, failure to complete an important quest—their wings are cut off and they are cast down to the Overworld. It happens only very, very rarely. Sometimes angels cut off their wings of their own accord—a form of suicide, I guess, due to depression..." Pit said this part very fast and didn't meet any of their sad and shocked gazes.

"My holy Lord, that took a long time. That took... an hour. Now you can all ask questions to your hearts' content."

Marth spoke first. "Pit... I was meaning to tell you. Last night, I dreamed again. And I saw Agamemnon."

Pit looked startled. "Are you sure?"

"Now I'm positive. He was older... he was fifteen, I'm sure. He was all beaten up, so I tried to help him... but he attacked me."

"Were you aware that he was an archangel? Or anything of the sort?"

"At the very end, yeah, but I don't think I would have cared. I kind of thought of the Raven Laguz at first." He glanced at Ike. "And I don't think they're connected, but after I woke up, I thought of bad memories."

"I guess that symbolizes something... I'm just not sure what." Pit said.

"Whoa... I guess now I know who Aegeus Harah is now," Link said.

"Hey, Pit?" Ike asked.

"Yeah?"

"What _is _the dictionary definition of an angel?"

Pit smiled. "It's awesome—I've got it memorized. Ahem—'a spiritual being superior to man in power and intelligence.'" He grinned smugly.

The other boys scowled.

"So... anything else?" Pit asked, examining his fingernails.

"Not at the moment," Marth said. "You too, you two?"

Link and Ike snickered. "No."

"So... how about I relate _my _story now?" Marth asked. "You guys know nothing. Nothing about me. Except for Ike."

"Yeah! It'll be good to _listen _instead of _talking _for once!" Pit said.

**It'll be good to **_**read **_**your comments instead of **_**writing**_** for once! Phew! Marth's story-**_**coming soon**_**!**


	18. Marth's Story

**Just a quick recap: Marth is speaking. This is his story. Enjoy!**

"Okay. So, in Fire Emblem World, the timeline from the games is just rendered irrelevant. All of the games took place at the same time, except for the prequels. For example, in _Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War_, there are two generations, twenty years apart. So the second generation took place at the same time as all the others, in the year 600, and the first generation took place twenty years before all the others. So Lyn's game, Blazing Sword, took place twenty years before all the rest; Ike's second game, Radiant Dawn, took place three years after all the rest; my first game, Dragons of Darkness and the Sword of Light, took place three years after all the rest; and then, as you know, the first generation of Genealogy was twenty years before.

"Unless a character has to die according to the game, like ancient heroes, they can choose to stop aging as soon as they've completed their first game. Their endings might say otherwise, but most endings are dumb and kind of suck. Like, Ike's says that he leaves his continent and is never seen again. That, I believe, is quite suckish. And then, some people aren't even in a game, like random villagers.

"Yeah, not _too _much to explain about FE World... anyway, here's my story. I was born to King Cornelius and Queen Liza Lowell in the year 584..."

"Hold on," Pit said. "I can show them that."

"What? Ew! Gross! No!" Marth, Ike, and Link cried out in harmony.

Pit rolled his eyes. "Not his actual_ birth_, just, like, what happened after. Here..." The goldish mist appeared in his hand again, but before he threw it into the middle of their circle, he murmured, "Show us the announcement of Marth Lowell of Altea's birth." And he threw the mist.

...

The four boys found themselves in a merry castle hall. Everyone was talking and laughing excitedly. Brightly colored tapestries hung from the walls, and above them loomed a high balcony. It was dark and rainy outside, but the warm glow of the candles and the people's happiness and laughter brightened the hall.

All of a sudden, the talk stopped. Everyone looked up at the balcony. A man stood there. He wore a magnificent, sapphire-studded crown, and was dressed in flowing robes of blue silk. His cold, sapphire-blue eyes were stern, and his face was hard and regal.

King Cornelius Lowell's solemn face suddenly broke into a wide grin.

"I have a son!" His voice boomed, completing the image of a powerful king. He raised his arms high in joy.

The hall exploded in cheers. People drank toasts, yelled congratulations to the king, and pounded each other an their backs.

The king smiled and strode into the birthing room to view his son for the first time, with the four boys following, of course.

In the room, a lady with long blue hair and soft brown eyes sat in a rocking chair, holding a tiny blue bundle. A little girl with blue hair and blue eyes bounced excitedly at her feet.

Upon seeing her father, the little girl ran over and tugged at the bottom of his robes, her blue eyes shining.

"Father! Father!" She lisped. "Look! He's so cute!" She ran back to her mother, Queen Liza, and pointed at the little blue bundle in her arms.

Cornelius made his way over to his wife, his eyes shining like his daughter's.

"Quiet, isn't he?" Cornelius remarked.

Liza smiled. "He's only just stopped crying." She carefully pulled the blue blanket away from her son's face.

The little baby in her arms was fast asleep. He already had a mass of electric blue hair, with bangs reaching nearly to his eyes.

Cornelius studied the baby with pride. He stroked his bangs. The little boy opened his sapphire-blue eyes drowsily.

"He has your eyes," Liza said quietly.

"And your hair," Cornelius murmured.

"What are you going to name him?" The little girl asked.

Cornelius frowned, then relaxed. "I know. Mars—after the Roman god of war."

Liza shook her head angrily. "_My _baby? Named after the god of _war_? I don't _think_ so. _I _would like to name him something sweet... like Seth, after Cain and Abel's brother."

The two argued. The little girl stared at the baby. She didn't understand what her parents were arguing about—the name for the boy was simple. She called out to her parents.

"Elice, dear, not now!" Liza said, gritting her teeth.

"But Mother! I know what we should name him!"

"What, Elice?"

"Well, Marth, of course!"

Pit, Ike, and Link smiled. The older Marth just stared.

Cornelius and Liza looked at each other.

"Why... what a perfectly lovely name!" Liza said.

"Very regal," Cornelius agreed. "Good choice, Elice." Then he turned to the baby. Cornelius placed his hand on his son's forehead, said the vows, and the baby's name was Marth.

...

The boys were in the garden again. They stared at Marth. Marth sighed.

"And I thank my sister for dooming me to an eternity of fanfics that portray me as Ike's girlfriend Martha. And while we're on the subject, wasn't I just the cutest baby you've ever seen in your whole life?"

Pit, Ike, and Link rolled their eyes. Marth went on:

"I grew up in a very strict household. I wasn't spoiled, not in the least. My father made me train relentlessly. And Ike's already heard this, but my father was terribly hard on me. He started yelling at me for being so sensitive when I was only six. I grew up closer to my mother and sister—being harsh and strong like that just wasn't me. I had a couple of friends growing up—Cain, Abel, and Merric—" He gulped. "—yeah, we were close. Then, when I was fourteen, and just starting to get closer to my father, well... you all know that from the game, right?"

Pit, Ike, and Link nodded solemnly. They knew—Marth's father and his army had been betrayed by the kingdom of Gra, their longtime ally, and Marth had been forced to flee to his (cough) girlfriend's home in Talys.

"Well, it wasn't exactly like that. I only stayed in Talys for six months, and then it took me six months to complete my quest. And I didn't think about actually marrying Shiida..." Marth's voice broke. The boys looked at him, startled.

Marth was crying. He put his hand over his eyes and sobbed. Tears streamed down from between his fingers.

"I'm... s-s-sorry," he sniffed. "It's... she..." He stared sobbing again, too hard for speech.

"Marth!" Ike ran over and tried to comfort Marth. "Marth... hey, man, don't... it's okay..."

"I know..." Marth wiped his eyes. "I'm... I haven't said her name in so long..."

"Gee, Marth, you miss her that much?" Link said.

"N-no... Link, you don't understand... she... anyways, yeah, after my quest, we were just kind of long-distance girlfriend and boyfriend. We didn't see each other much; she was busy rebuilding Talys. All my friends from my army went their separate ways... Cain and Abel were always off training, and Merric was always studying.

"I entered a very depressing period when I was fifteen. I guess it was just the entirety of the whole thing... it's kind of complicated. One day... hey, Pit..."

Marth didn't even have to finish. Pit smiled. "These poor trees... I have to keep taking essence from them." The mist appeared in Pit's hand again, and it did seem like the trees in the garden got a little sicker. This time, before throwing the mist, Pit whispered, "Show us the day when Marth Lowell met his friend." And once again, Pit threw the mist.

...

The boys were in the castle hall again, but this time it was less festive. Servants hurried around, obviously preparing a meal of some sort.

The boys looked around for Marth, but he wasn't there.

A blue-haired girl oversaw the servants' work. She wore a familiar tiara and a long, tightly fitted blue dress that brought out her hair and eyes. With a jolt, the boys suddenly recognized her as Marth's sister, Elice.

A servant girl with short purple hair hurried over to Elice.

"Elice, m'lady, is there a reason why all the cooks insist on cookin' just for one?" She asked.

Elice sighed. "Yes. Marth hasn't been eating. I'm getting very worried. He barely even comes out of his room anymore. Come to think of it..." She almost smiled, "I've been meaning to give something to him. I even have it with me right now. Excuse me, Padma." Elice turned and ran up the stairs leading to the balcony.

On top of the balcony, there was a hallway with a row of doors. Elice walked down the hallway until she was out of view of the hall below. Then she stopped in front of a door. The door had a plaque on it that said, simply, "MARTH."

Elice politely knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" Marth asked faintly from inside.

"It's Elice."

"Come in."

Elice opened the door quietly. Marth sat at a desk at the far end of the room, sketching a picture. Marth's room was quite plain, and very blue—the bed was blue, the curtains lining the window were blue, and Marth was blue, inside and out.

His hair was darker than it had been when he was a baby, but lighter than it was now. He slumped in his chair—something that the current Marth would never do.

"Marth?" Elice asked softly. Marth didn't reply.

"Marth!"

"_What_?" Marth snapped.

"Oh, Marth. Look at you. You're wasting away." Elice stepped closer. Marth finally turned around.

His face was subtly changed—he looked just a little bit younger than he did now. His eyes looked different, though—deep-set with dark circles under them, like he hadn't slept in days.

"Oh, look at you, Marth! Have you even been sleeping?"

Marth shook his head slowly.

"And how much have you eaten for the past few weeks? A mouthful a day?"

Marth shrugged.

"Argh!" Elice shook Marth by his shoulders. He didn't even try to resist. "Marth! What on earth is _wrong _with you?"

Marth shrugged again.

"Are you missing Mother and Father?" Elice asked softly.

Marth looked away.

"Marth, just tell me."

Marth sighed and glanced out the window. "I'm _lonely_, Elice," he said finally. "Merric's always studying, and all the others from the army have all gone their separate ways."

Elice stood up and knelt by the far side of Marth's bed for a minute.

"Marth, when you really want a friend, just look under your bed, okay?" She offered him a weak smile, which he did not return, and left.

Marth rested his chin on his hand sulkily and examined the picture he had been sketching. It was a drawing of a different blue-haired girl standing by a winged horse.

All of a sudden, Marth and the boys heard noises out the window. Marth got up and observed from a distance.

A group of children, about Marth's age, were running toward the castle. One of them, who had a rat-like demeanor, started speaking to a boy with red hair.

"Come _on_, Roy!" The rat-faced boy said. "If you're such a big and important Lord, then you can throw a rock into Prince Marth's window, can't you? Or are you too chicken?" He made chicken-wing motions and clucked.

"C'mon, Zacharias," Roy said nervously. "Lords aren't supposed to be disrepectful like that. And we're only visiting Altea. We want to make a good impression."

"Bawk-bawk-bawk! Chicken Roy!" Zacharias crowed. "Brawk, brawk! Chicken!"

Roy scowled. "If I throw it, will you shut up?"

Zacharias nodded vigorously. "Throw it! Throw it!" The other children joined in.

All this time, Marth had been watching and had not gotten angry. Now he tensed.

Roy picked up a stone and, with a second's hesitation, lobbed it up toward Marth's window.

Marth caught the stone with one hand, then smiled mischieviously and pushed a glass vase off his desk. It shattered very noisily.

The children down below froze.

Marth walked toward the window, into their view. "Nice throw!" He called. He smiled and tossed the rock back down.

The world seemed to hold its breath for a minute. Then Zacharias yelled, "RUN!"

The children scattered, with Zacharias in the lead. Roy lingered behind for a second and glimpsed Marth's forlorn expression. Then Roy ran off as well.

Marth stayed there for about a minute. Suddenly, he brushed his fingers against his cheek and noticed the wetness there.

Marth swore and kicked the leg of the bed. Then, he remembered what Elice had said.

_When you really want a friend, just look under your bed, okay?_

Marth dropped down to his stomach beside his bed and stretched his hand underneath it.

When he drew his hand back out, he was grasping a perfectly made, tightly knotted bedsheet rope.

He smiled. He put the rope on his bed and locked the door to his room. Then he walked over to another door, walked in and closed the door behind him.

Pit, Ike, Link, and the current Marth inspected Marth's bedroom.

"This is a really good picture, Marth," Pit murmured, his hand hovering over Marth's recent drawing. "Is it... your girlfriend?"

Ike whistled. "Hot damn!"

"It's none of your business," Marth said quietly. There was something about the way he said it that shut Ike up.

"What are you doing in there, Marth?" Link asked.

"Changing my clothes. You'd be surprised at how different you look when you wear something different than usual. Can any of you imagine Link with his hat off or something?"

Ike shrugged. "Man... your room's so huge... and you've got nothing in it!"

Marth shrugged. "I didn't need a lot of stuff."

The past Marth opened the door to the closet and stepped out. Pit, Link, and Ike did a double take. Marth was dressed in a short blue tunic with short sleeves and a belt. Under it, he wore a long-sleeved white shirt, similar to Link's, with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His pants were loose and blue, and they were tucked into scuffed blue boots. For the first time, the boys noticed that instead of the elbow-length black gloves that Marth always wore, he was wearing fingerless black-and-silver gloves that only covered his hands.

Marth closed the door to his closet and inspected himself in the mirror. He took off his crown (it was different than the one he wore now; it was wider and had no jewel in the center) and shook out his hair.

"I'm considering cutting it a little bit at this point," the current Marth murmured as the past Marth pushed his bangs out of his eyes. "Gosh, this is weird..."

The past Marth walked over to a section of his wall that looked quite nondescript. He pushed against four bricks with his palms and the stones shuffled and melted into the wall. Marth unhooked his scabbard and put it and his sword into the hole in the wall. He hesitated, then reached into the wall and took out an ordinary sword and scabbard, which he hooked to his belt.

Marth tied the rope to the bedpost closest to the window and tugged on it to test its strength. He tossed the other end out the window and took a deep breath. Then he sat on the edge of the window, grabbed the rope, and jumped out.

The boys jumped out too, and found that they could hover in the air as if in a dream. They watched Marth climb down carefully, the muscles in his skinny arms bulging. Finally, Marth reached the bottom. He stretched, then gazed out at the landscape. He smiled, then started running down the hill towards the village that Roy had ran to.

Marth got lucky. He found Roy lying on his back in the middle of a field, his brow furrowed in thought. Marth tiptoed up to him slowly.

"Hi," Marth said quietly. Roy sat up quickly and stared at Marth.

"Hey," Roy replied suspiciously.

"Do you live around here?" Marth asked, sitting down next to Roy.

Roy shook his head. "Naw. I'm visiting from Elibe. My dad... he's pretty sick. He wants to see all the continents before he dies."

Marth nodded somberly. "Yeah... how old is he?"

Roy rolled his eyes. "Thirty-six. It's terrible. Oh, by the way... are you in a game? What's your name, anyway?"

"My name's Seth. I'm not in a game. You know, they're all taking place next year. Are you?"

Roy blushed. "Um, yeah... I'm a Lord."

Marth grinned. "Lucky. So I'm guessing your dad's Lord Eliwood of Pherae, right? And you're Roy?"

"Yeah. My dad's friend Marcus's holding down Pherae for us. My dad's friend Hector's visiting the continents with us... and so's his wife, Lyn. And you know the screwy part? Lyn doesn't have to age according to the game, so she's still seventeen. Hector has to, though, so he's thirty-six. But he still looks seventeen and he's just starting to grow a beard. And their daughter, Lilina, she's fourteen. My age. How old are you?"

"Fifteen. So what continents have you already visited?"

"All of them except for Valencia and Tellius. My dad doesn't want to go to Valencia, and Tellius is just too... I don't know, far away or something. Too unfamiliar."

"So are you meeting all the Lords of the games?"

"Some of them. So I'm one, and my dad's one, and Lyn and Hector, that's four... we met Prince Celice and Prince Leaf in Jugdral, that's six; Prince Ephraim and Princess Eirika from Magvel, that's eight... I don't know who the Lords from Tellius are, and we're not visiting Valencia, so that's four out..."

"What about Prince Marth?" Marth asked. Everyone except Roy noticed his mischievious smile.

Roy blushed again. "Uh... well, not him yet... look, promise to keep this secret, okay?"

Marth crossed his heart. "Promise."

Roy looked around nervously. Then he whispered in Marth's ear: "I was playing with these village kids, see? And, well, I got dared to throw a rock into his window. The prince's window. So I do, and we hear something shatter. Then Marth _comes to the window_. And he throws it back down again! Like, not even _mad_! But then this rat Zacharias—he's the one who dared me to throw it—he freaks out and yells to run, so we all ran. But I looked back. And Marth looked... I don't know, kind of sad. Forlorn, you know? And I'm _sure _he'd recognize me if I ever presented myself to him. And this is all, like, ten minutes ago, right? So what am I gonna tell my dad?"

Marth brooded. "We-e-ell, you could always go to Marth alone and apologize."

Roy gave one burst of hysterical laughter. "Ha! Yeah, that'd work! Ha!"

Marth shrugged. "Just might work. You never know."

"Ah, well. Even if I can't get up the guts to do it, we've got to leave eventually. Although we're staying here for a while, 'cause it's the last place we're visiting."

The boys stayed quiet for a second.

"So... your mom's dead, right?" Marth asked.

Roy shrugged with a frown. "Well, actually... I'm a bastard. My parents weren't married... an' I kind of don't know who my mom was... or is. She was either Ninian, this half-Dragon girl who loved my dad, or Florina, a pegasus knight who's really good friends with Lyn... obviously not Lyn, 'cause I've asked her and my dad and they said they'd never—" Roy stopped abruptly and blushed again.

Marth smiled. "Did you ask the other two?"

Roy blushed redder. "No... see, I'm almost positive it was Florina... but I, like, _know _Florina. Not as a friend, but... I dunno, it would be weird to ask her if she and my dad had ever... you know..."

"Done it?" Marth suggested.

Roy smiled. "Yeah. But it would be cool if Ninian was my mom, I guess... I'd be a quarter Dragon! How awesome would _that _be!"

Marth stared at the ground. "Eh... there isn't _any_thing exciting about my family... like, at all. I mean, come on. I'm not in a game."

"So... what are your parents like?"

"They're dead," Marth replied flatly. "My older sister raises me."

"Oh." Roy blushed again.

"You blush a lot," Marth noted. "And your ears get red, too."

"Well... I _am_ a redhead. If you blushed every time you got embarrassed or felt awkward... then you'd probably blush a lot too!"

"Hey! Hey, Roy!" Marth, Roy, and the boys turned to find the source of that very familiar voice.

Lyn plopped down next to Roy. "Hi, Roy. Who's your friend?"

"This is Seth. Seth, this is Lyn." Roy gestured to her.

"Hi, Lyn," Marth said. "Roy told me about you."

Lyn smiled. "Aw, that's sweet, Roy."

Roy rolled his eyes. "Well, you do come up in conversation. And Lyn... um, this is kind of... um, embarrassing, but... do you know who my mother is?"

"Ummm... well, it's either Ninian or Florina, right? And not me. To tell you the truth, Roy... I think your dad was a little bit of a two-timer."

"What, so not even my _dad _knows?"

Lyn shook her head with a grimace.

"Ahhhh. _Not _fun." Roy stuck out his tongue.

"So, Seth, you're not in a game, are you?" Lyn asked.

"Uh, no, I'm not. How'd you know?"

"Because there's already some guy named Seth in another game. And I'm pretty sure you're not the same guy."

"Oh... yeah."

"Anyway, Roy, I came to tell you that dinner's ready. Did Roy tell you that we're all staying together?" Marth shook his head. "Well, we are. Do you think you could come 'round for dinner, Seth?"

"Oh... no. No, I can't. I'm sorry."

"Oh, that's all right. Maybe you could come 'round for breakfast or something some other time, hm? C'mon, Roy."

...

They were back in the garden again.

"Wow," Link said. "That was really long."

"That was really cool!" Ike said.

"Pit, are you okay? That didn't drain you or anything, right?" Marth asked.

"No, I'm fine. Wish I could say so for the trees, though." Pit gestured around him.

"I could just talk..." Marth suggested.

"Yeah, do," Link said, leaning against a tree behind him.

"After that, I went home, obviously, and told Elice about meeting Roy and Lyn. She thought it was kind of ironic that I met two other Lords who happened to be in Altea at the time. The next day I visited them also, and the day after that I met their families—Lyn's husband, Hector; Roy's father, Eliwood; and Lyn and Hector's daughter, Lilina."

"Lyn has a daughter?" Link asked incredulously.

Marth and Ike lowered their eyes. "I'll explain that part when I get to it," Marth said quietly. "At the end of the third day, I brought up the topic of sharing secrets. Lyn said that she had once had a crush on Roy's father. I found that highly amusing—Roy begged to differ. Roy said that he currently had a crush on Lyn's daughter, Lilina. We didn't find that very surprising. Then I said that I would show them where I lived. I brought them to my castle.

"At first, they didn't believe me. Then they put two and two together, since all the clues fit—and finally got it. We all climbed up into my room, and Elice came in—she picked the lock—and introduced herself. So we met each other a lot, often, and after the second game of mine took place, Roy, Lyn, Lilina, and Hector came back to Altea.

"About a hundred years after all the games, in the year 700, everything went horribly wrong. So, the Worlds don't follow the actual games to the letter, so King Hardin of Akeneia—" Marth's voice turned bitter around the name. "—was still alive. It was... a week before my wedding when his distress call came—_again_. This time, we knew he wasn't possessed, though—I mean, he hadn't been acting strangely, like he was before—so we had no second thoughts. The kingdom we were fighting wasn't very threat-posing, but they were causing petty trouble on the far coast. I only took a small team with me... me, Roy, Lyn, a Divine Dragon named Xane, the princess of Macedonia, Minerva, a mercenary, Navarre, and a pegasus knight, Catria. I didn't think to bring Shiida... Lilina, or Hector..." Marth's eyes got misty. "That choice will haunt me for the rest of my life.

"Shiida wanted to go. She argued with us for ten minutes before she agreed to stay behind and help prepare our wedding arrangements. I promised her I'd be right back.

"Xane, Minerva, Navarre, and Catria stayed behind to finish up and allowed us to return to Altea for my wedding. When we got back, Altea was on fire. We tried to get to Lilina and Hector in the castle town, but we couldn't break in—there was a force-field around it. Lilina and Hector either burned to death or suffocated. Lyn collapsed in tears, and Roy tried to hold me back from dashing into my burning castle. Suddenly, we noticed this huge man behind Lyn. Before we could warn her, he hit her on the head with and iron bar and she passed out. Roy tried to fight the man, but... this whip of light came out of the man's hand and electrified Roy. It was magic, but no magic that I'd ever seen before. Then he waved his hand at me, and I fainted.

"When I came to, I was in my throne room on my knees with my hands tied behind my back. Hardin had Shiida—she was still in her wedding dress. He explained to me, calmly, that he was still possessed, that the rest of the continent had already fallen, and that everyone I knew was dead... including my sister and her husband, Merric.

"He tried to whip me to death. He counted the lashes. He got to twenty until I was willing to die to escape the torture. As I fell, Shiida screamed. I opened my eyes... and saw Hardin stab her. He saw my eyes open and prepared to kill me, too... but then Roy broke the door down. He had the still-unconscious Lyn slung over his back. He used the Sword of Seals to attract the fire to Hardin, and we escaped.

"We watched Altea burn. Roy and I discussed our options. All we had was some gold, our swords, the clothes on our backs, and each other. Roy and Lyn could have gone back to Pherae, but Roy didn't want to leave me alone. We decided to stow away on a boat to Tellius. We jumped off, and swam to a place with no docks or ports. It was called Phoenicis. That night, we met two Laguz Hawks. They were gracious, and warped us to Crimea. That's where we met Ike and his band of mercenaries... they had all gone their separate ways and were having a reunion. Their healer, Rhys, tried to heal Lyn... she was no longer delirious, but she would always be a little... odd... we explained to them who we were, and we lived with them until 702, when Roy and I traveled to Melee World... then, six years later, we traveled here. So now it's the year 710 there."

"What? That's _it_? There's no... happy ending, or anything?" Link asked.

"No. Nothing. Well... Lyn did meet Ike. And so did I. Congratulations, Ike, you're our happy ending."

"Wow..." Pit whispered. "That's terrible."

"Lyn had a _daughter_? And a _husband_?" Link asked.

"Yes."

"You had a sister... and a girlfriend..." Link looked at Marth. He started. His face and eyes looked glassy and sunken.

"Yes... I did..."

"Marth?" Ike said softly. "Hey, man. Get a grip. It's okay."

Marth leaned backwards into a tree, staring into the sky. The moonlight bounced off his face and highlighted the shadows under his eyes and the tears running down beneath them.

"I feel funny," he said loudly. "Like... sick."

"You're homesick," Pit said gently. "Just... relax."

Marth sighed with a quivering breath. "Home..." He closed his eyes, and a few more tears ran down. "It's nothing but a wasteland now. And you saw how beautiful it was once. I swear... if I ever, _ever _see King Hardin ever again, I'm going to rip his heart out with my own hands. That's what he did to me."

"Marth..." Ike put his arm around Marth. "Don't let it... don't let it kill you. That's just what he wants."

The boys stayed quiet for a while. The Common Clock gonged four times.

Link stifled a yawn. "F-four in the morning... wow. Maybe you should go home and get some sleep, Marth."

"Yeah, you're right." Marth staggered to his feet. "See ya, Link. Bye, Pit... and thanks."

Pit half-waved. "See you around."

Link got to his feet. "Bye."

**:-( Poor Marth! And I'm sorry this was so long. I HAD A REALLY HARD TIMW WRITING IT! CONTINUITY ERRORS ARE THE BANE OF MY EXISTANCE AND IF I HAVE ANY HERE I WILL BE **_**VEEEEERRRRRYYYY **_**ANGRY! Anyway, please review!**


	19. Confidence, Personality, and Plots

"Hey, Marth?" Ike said the next morning over breakfast.

"Mmmm?" Marth replied. His eyes were red again—the second time in two nights.

"You... you're gonna be okay, right? I mean... you're not gonna totally, like, flip out and turn into some sort of weirdo emo freak, right?"

Marth offered him a weak half-smile. "Nah. It kind of felt good to let it all out. Finally confront it, no matter how painful it is. You know?"

Ike nodded vigorously. "Dude... I could not agree with you more. Like, you know how Sephiran—well, Lehran—sealed my memories? Well, once I finally _knew_, it felt good. Like... I finally got that whole missed part of my life back, no matter how... sad it was."

Marth stared at Ike. "How can can you be so... so nonchalant about it? You _saw_... your _father..._ kill... your _mother_... when you were, like, six?"

Ike shrugged. "I dunno. You're just more emotional than me. And besides... that wasn't too much to lose. I got over it."

Marth stared down and shook his head. Tears brimmed in his eyes again. "I... I just... and Lyn... her parents are dead, her husband is dead, her daughter is dead... then again, she did have that head injury."

"Lyn!" Ike exclaimed. "Oh man, I gotta call her!" He whipped out his cell phone and speed-dialed her number.

"Put her on speaker," Marth mumbled.

Ike nodded. "Oh! Hey, Lyn? You there?"

_Yeah, Ike? What's up?_ Lyn answered.

"Uhhh... where are you? You can come home now! Man, I'm sorry! I just, like, forgot to call you back..."

_Dude, it's fine! It's only been... like, three nights!_

"Oh, man... seems like so much longer..."

As they talked, Marth felt a strong and surprising surge of envy. Ike and Lyn were just about a soul match. Save for Lyn's slight country accent, they even _talked _alike. Him and Shiida had been that way too...

"Okay, great! See ya." Ike snapped his phone shut. "Lyn's coming home!" He sang. He glanced at Marth's tear-streaked, envious face and his smile disappeared. "Oh... oh, hey, man... I... I'm sorry... I wasn't thinking..."

"S'okay."

Ike paused. "Marth?"

"Yes?"

"Shiida... what was she like?"

"Beautiful, stubborn, feminine _and _tomboyish, childish, patient, caring, protective, understanding, and talkative."

"And what did she look like?"

"Like me. Blue hair with matching eyes... sparkling eyes. Really long eyelashes. She had a really nice figure, too. Skinny, but tall. Really good hips. About an inch or two shorter than me. She could have been a freaking model."

"Wow. Do you think... think she would have liked me?"

"Of course. You're a likable guy."

Ike was quiet for a while. "I sure would have liked to meet her."

"Well, you can't," Marth snapped. "She's dead." The words reverberated in Marth's head. _She's dead_.

Marth glared at Ike. Suddenly, they heard the castle door open.

"Hello? Hello!" Lyn called faintly from the entrance hall. "Ike? Marth? Where are you?"

"In the kitchen," Marth called hoarsely. Lyn opened the door a second later and stared at Marth sternly.

"Marth! Look at you! Have you been sleeping?" Marth winced. He heard Elice, with her sweet, quiet voice, ask him the same question.

"Lyn... he had a bad night. He was remembering Shiida."

Lyn's manner shifted abruptly. "Oh, Marth." She bent down and hugged his neck.

"You know, Ike, you're a lot like Hector," Lyn said. "Your hair, and your strength, and your adorable ignorance, and your funniness, and your jokiness..."

"'Adorable ignorance'?" Ike looked at Lyn with a pained expression.

Marth sighed. "And I am now a third wheel. I'm leaving now."

"Marth, no! Come back!" But Marth paid no attention to her as he walked out the door.

...

"I... hope you don't mind my barging in, Pia," Marth said sheepishly. "I needed someone to talk to."

"Oh, no! No, I don't mind! But why _me_?" Pia sat down on Pit's couch and motioned for Marth to join her. "I mean, I've only known you for, like, a couple days."

"Well... I don't know. I like you. You're... whimsical. Different."

Pia sighed contentedly and lay back. "More, please."

"Hey! This is _my _self-confidence boosting session!"

"Well, you're really sweet. If I was going to go to a guy when I had emotional problems—like, aside from Pit—you're the guy whose shoulder I would cry on. I'm sure almost every girl here thinks the same. You're quiet. You listen to other people's crap and don't complain. You're patient, and you're kind. And compassionate. And mature. And serious... Marth, I could go on and on. Now, what exactly was the point of that if you were coming to me with dead-girlfriend angst?"

Marth smiled bashfully. "It helps to know that someone cares, I guess."

"I wonder why Zelda doesn't like you?" Pia said thoughtfully.

"Hmmm... I would say she had a crush on me, but she's already got Link."

"Yeah. Well, you know what? Maybe she's just jealous."

"Jealous? Why would she be jealous of me? I mean, what could I have that she doesn't?"

"Your _personality_, Marth. Look at you. I mean... that one time the other day was, like, probably the only time she's ever really seen you get mad, right? She envies your personality. Think about it... she insults you _every day_, and you _never _get mad! If you get mad again, Marth, you're just playing right into her hands. She _wants _you to get mad because you irritate her with your happiness. Imagine that there's this kid who's always smiling. He gets on your nerves because he's always happy, no matter what! Well... I guess _you _wouldn't get mad_, _but_... _you see what I mean?"

"Yeah... I get it. Sort of. So you're saying that the next time I see her, I should just grin and bear it?"

"Yep. I'll bet you can just _see _her skin crawl. But if you go to confront her, take me with you! I want to see her insult you, sort of, and then watch you retaliate."

"Oookaaay. Gotcha."

"She reminds me of this girl I knew once. Kind of reminds me of home."

"What was her name?"

"Lilith. Why?"

Marth shrugged. "Curious."

"Are you going to confront her?"

"No, but I might run into her."

"Okay, so how about we go somewhere where we'll run into her?"

"Huh?"

"Where does she like to eat?"

Marth looked ruffled, but soon regained his composure. "Well... she likes going for smoothies at Smooth Fruit. I saw her a lot there."

"Saw?"

"Before I stopped going there because _she _went there."

Pia laughed. "I know what you mean. But for heaven's sake, Marth, don't be freaking _afraid _of her!"

...

"So, what exactly are we going to do?" Marth asked as they ordered their smoothies. After debating, Marth pushed the buttons marked PEACH and MEDIUM.

"Look. It's quite simple." Pia pushed the buttons marked STRAWBERRY CREAM and SMALL. "We wait here in clear view of the door, and if Zelda comes in, you wave to her with a radiant smile."

"Great. And what exactly will that do?"

"Agitate her. Imagine an angry female pit bull."

Marth grinned. "That's kind of what I imagine her as every time I see her." He picked up their smoothies and sat down at a table with very high chairs close to the door.

"You know something weird?" Pia asked.

"What?"

"I have _never _seen someone finish a smoothie. They're, like, unfinishable. Seriously, have you ever heard someone say, 'Mmmm, I'm done with my smoothie. Let's get another one!'?"

"Hey, yeah, I've never really noti—"

Marth was cut off by the sound of a familiar voice at the door.

"So then he just, like, storms out, and, like, everyone was so, like, stunned! It was just like, wow, awkward! You know what I'm saying?"

Peach and Zelda made their way to the ordering booth.

"Perfect," Pia muttered, facing away from both Marth and the princesses.

Zelda droned on. "And so I go home with Link, and we just talk about, like, how stupid he is! I mean, come on! He didn't even _swear_. Like, seriously?"

Marth winced. _Link_? He thought painedly.

Pia shook her head. "Exaggerating," she smile-whispered through her teeth. "He didn't insult you."

Marth nodded and relaxed. They resumed inconspiciously watching the girls with amused expressions.

Peach turned around for a second and saw Pia and Marth smiling. She opened her mouth to tell Zelda, but the princess of Hyrule plowed right on.

"So then, he, like, comes back _two days later_ to apologize! And I mean, that's, like, fail in itself, right? Then he just, like, storms off _again_! Like, _while _he's apologizing!"

Peach tried to warn Zelda about Marth again. "Zel, uh—"

"I mean, what a loser! What a failure at _life_!"

By this time they had gotten their smoothies. They were turning around to find a table when Zelda finally noticed Marth.

Marth smiled and waved at her in a half-salute.

Zelda "hmphed" and held up her head proudly.

Marth turned away, still smiling, and whispered something to Pia. She cracked up, and Marth's smile widened. Zelda marched over to their table, with Peach scurrying along behind her.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't Little Mr. Temper Tantrum."

Marth raised his eyebrows. "You're still on that? Really? I mean, I've already put it behind me. I don't like to hold grudges." He smiled coyly.

Zelda laughed mockingly. "_I'm _still on that?"

"Um, yeah. Judging by what you were saying to Peach and your little nicknames for me... I'd say you're holding a grudge. Oh, well. I don't care. You can laugh at me all you want."

Zelda raised her eyebrows.

Marth shrugged. "I mean it. I really don't care. Laugh at me all you want. I'm not going to let it bother me." He sipped his smoothie.

Zelda exhaled loudly. "Fine, dork." She raised her head high and began walking toward the door. "C'mon, Peach, let's drink this to go. Something smells."

Peach sniffed the air and shrugged. "I don't smell anything. But you kinda smell like mint, Marth." She skipped off to join the now-fuming Zelda, and the two of them left.

"See how mad she got? You've just got to show her that you mean business. Take away her power. Make her get off her high horse." Pia sipped her smoothie calmly.

"How did you know that would work?"

"It usually does, with mean girls like that. And everyone else here likes you, so she can't really spread a rumor or anything to get you back."

"Oh, crap... 'get me back'? Dude, she could do _anything _to get me back! Maybe not socially, but personally! Oh, man... what did I ever do to deserve this?"

"Oh, c'mon, Marth! What could she do?"

"Flood my inbox with videos with the words 'Marth', 'Ike', and 'love' in the titles, for one thing."

"Really? Really, Marth? You're going to get scared of an _e-bully_? And a _female _e-bully at that! Come on, prince man, don't let her get to you!"

"Easier said than done," Marth muttered.

All of a sudden, Marth's phone vibrated.

"It's Ike."

"Oooh, put him on speaker!"

Marth shrugged and flipped open his phone, pressing the speaker button.

"Hey, Ike."

_Hey. Look, man, we really didn't mean to upset you or anything. It just sort of... I dunno, I guess I never imagined you with a girlfriend._

"Well, yeah, but you knew I had one."

_Not the same, dude. Anyways, where are you right now?_

"Smooth Fruit, with Pia."

_Would you mind if I joined you?_

Marth rolled his eyes. "God, Ike, of _course _I'd mind! Don't you ever show your face to me here!"

_'Kay, I'll be right over. Oh, and by the way... Lyn wants to know why you don't just get another girlfriend._

Marth sighed. "Look... it's not that simple. For one thing, none of the girls here would suit me, and for another thing, I couldn't ever forget about Shiida. I don't mind... I'll be single for the rest of my life."

_Your loss. See ya in a sec, man._

Marth snapped his phone shut. "You don't mind, do you?"

"Of course not! Man, this is fun."

"So... you like it here so far?"

"Yeah. I like talking to you, Marth, and Pit and Ike and Link, too. You're so sweet and emotional, Ike's funny and tough, Link's smart and serious, and Pit's... I don't know! Man, I totally have to, like, spend more time with him! He's like the whole reason I came!"

"And you, Pia... you're so... unique. I can't even place your personality."

"Yeah... I know what you mean. I'm kind of iffy. I guess... I'm stubborn, kind of annoying, impatient... and I'm really quick to blame someone else when I get hurt."

Marth snickered.

"I'm serious! And I get mad at people who piss me off, too. Like, _really _mad."

Marth stared at her. "You truly are one strange, unique little girl."

"Hey! I'm _fourteen_!"

"I'm sixteen."

"I'm seventeen," Ike said, hopping up on the stool next to them. "And why does it matter?"

"Marth called me 'little girl' again." Pia theatrically pouted.

"Okaaay..."

"So... do the bad guys usually do things like that? Like... the other night?"

"It was only last night," Marth pointed out.

"I really, really don't care. So do they?"

Ike shrugged. "I guess... maybe periodically they'll cause a little trouble, but not usually something like that. I mean... let's see, Bowser and Ganondorf usually keep to themselves, Wario mostly just annoys everyone and grosses us out, Wolf is actually kind of cool, and Dedede... I dunno, I never really see him."

"He acts like Bowser and Ganondorf, just not as serious." Marth helped. "Of course _Wario _is the one they leave behind to monitor us."

Pia made a face. "Yuck. Then again... it could be another petty mischief."

"Yeah, but what would they have to gain by capturing Ness?" Marth asked.

"Well, maybe it was just because he was a witness to... something." Ike guessed.

"Wait a sec. Let's just lay out what we know." Pia reached into a pouch at her side and pulled out a full-size black notebook and mechanical pencil.

"Bottomless," she explained. "Now—here's what we know. The bad guys sometimes cause petty mischief. If we lean on that theory, we could just be making a mountain out of a molehill."

"But if we don't... then we could say that the bad guys were doing something secret at the Lake, and Ness was captured 'cause he was a witness." Marth said.

"Yeah, and of course, Samus was just because she saw that they were there. She was kind of an added bonus." Ike added.

"Yeah... but wait. Good ideas, guys, but something still doesn't make sense. If they were, like, doing something secret at the Lake, it means that they didn't want anyone to see. Why would Wolf have invited Fox and Falco to a brawl there?"

"A multitude of reasons," Marth said. "First, we already found out that they wanted Fox and Falco to see a false trail. Also, Ness might have seen something that Fox and Falco didn't. Remember, Falco said he _heard _a Dark Cannon. He was probably turned away."

"Unless..." Ike murmured.

"Yeah? What, Ike?" Marth wasn't used to hearing Ike contibute to things like these, so he listened eagerly.

"Ness could have been bait," Ike said slowly. "I've experienced stuff like this before... people capture smaller, weaker people so their strong, important protectors come. Samus went to look for the enemies, and then _we _went to look for both of 'em. We could also go so far as to assume that _they _assumed that Samus, hungry for adventure, would come to them; Link, as a kind of parental figure to all of us, would come to save Ness and any other captured ones, like Samus; Pia, you and Pit, as protectors of humans, would come to save ditto what Link would save; maybe I would go, headstrong and wanting to prove myself; and maybe they even went so far as to hope that the adventurers and witnesses Fox and Falco would come. But all that got foiled 'cause..."

"'Cause almost _all _of those people came together, in a big group, and overpowered them!" Pia finished. "Ike, you're right! And Wolf _let _Fox and Falco see so they could pass on the 'false trail' and the kidnapping stuff to us! Wow, Ike, that was really great!" Pia sounded happily surprised.

"Yeah, it was another great hypothesis!" Marth shoved Ike playfully. "Come on, you guys! We have to go tell everyone! I'll get Link; Ike, you call Lyn and tell her, and she can call Saki... Pia, you get Pit... and I'll tell Samus to tell Fox and Falco!"

"Great!" Pia said. "Oh—look, Marth, I didn't finish my smoothie." Pia looked at the cup disdainfully. "Shocker."

**Aha! The enemies' plot is revealed! Please comment!**


	20. Telling

Marth knocked on the door of Link and Zelda's castle for the second time in as many days. Except for this time, he didn't pray it would be Link. He _hoped _it would be Link, of course, but this time, he didn't mind if it was Zelda, because he didn't care what she thought of him. Marth told himself that over and over again. It was a good thing he did, because a moment later, Princess Zelda opened the door.

Zelda scowled and rolled her eyes. "Ugh. Deja _vu_!"

"Is Link here?" Marth asked, ignoring Zelda's reaction.

"Yeah, but he's sick."

"Sick?" Marth was skeptical. Link never got sick.

"Yeah."

"Well... this is pretty important."

"I guess you can see him."

"Thank you."

Zelda led Marth up the long, winding staircase. Marth thought that the sleek, polished cherry wood railings and white-gold rugs were beautiful, but he still preferred his old, dark, stony fortress to this stained-glass-light-filled castle.

"I didn't know Link even _got _sick," Marth muttered, almost to himself.

"Oh, it's this _crazy _story." Zelda turned back and actually half-smiled at Marth. "So, you know King Zant?" Marth nodded. "So, after Link beat Ganondorf in TP, Zant's ghost comes back, and he's all, 'Ooooh, I'm gonna curse you', blah blah blah. So he says to Link, 'Every full moon, you will be cursed to remain a wild wolf', or whatever? And Link's all, like, 'Wow, I really don't care, 'cause I can turn into a wolf anyway', and—"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, back up. _Already _turn into a wolf? What?"

"Oh, wow, you didn't know? Zant had cursed Link so that every time he entered Twilight, he would turn into a wolf and couldn't turn human again 'til he rescued a Light Spirit or something. But he broke the curse, so now he can turn into a wolf and back whenever he wants."

Marth's head was reeling. "Yeah. Sure. Okay."

Zelda went on: "So Zant goes, 'Fine. You will _suffer_ on the day of the full moon!' So now he gets sick by day, but the other curse is still retroactive, so he has to be a wolf all night. Ah, here we go."

They had reached Link's room. Link was lying on his back in his bed. He looked like he had the day that his, Marth's, and Ike's swords had been stolen—terrible.

"Link, Marth's here, I'm leaving."

"Hey, Marth," Link said weakly as Zelda left. "What's up?"

Marth looked around. He had never been in Link's room before. It was unremarkable, and very green. Green bed, light green desk, light green walls...

"Hi, Link," Marth said softly. "So, Ike and Pia and I were talking about what the enemies were up to..." Marth proceeded to explain their conversation and findings to Link.

Link was quiet for a minute. "So... you guys think they're gonna try to kidnap us again?"

Marth shrugged. "I don't know. Now we know their plans, at least—hopefully—and they hopefully don't know that."

"Hope, hope, hope," Link sighed. He leaned back.

"I didn't know that you could turn into a wolf," Marth blurted out. He blushed.

Link blinked. "Really? Does anyone else not know? I'd just expect _you _to know, 'cause you're so smart and all..."

"I didn't know. I don't know if anyone else knows," Marth said slowly.

Link coughed. "_Damn _that Zant. I don't even mind the wolf thing that much... it's this sick that gets to me. I can't help anyone, can't do anything..."

"Yeah, we were talking about how you're, like, a parental figure to everyone. Like, you're a bit older than Ike, and you're not as reckless, so... you're basically our fallback guy. Like... if all of us failed, you could take over and pretty much win no matter what."

"What exactly do you mean by 'everyone' and 'all of us'?"

"Well... I guess all the younger kids, especially Toon Link. But now that you mention it... I guess Ike and Pit and Pia and I also."

"Yeah... I've got a feeling that the five of us are bonding." Link sat up a bit, wincing. "I guess I never really noticed you or Ike or Pit before... as acquaintances, I guess, but not really... _friends_."

Marth was quiet for a while. Then, he asked: "What's it like to turn into a wolf?"

Link laughed once. "You're really intrigued by that, aren't you?"

Marth shrugged. "It's intriguing."

"Well... it's kind of cool. I mean, you look down at yourself and... you're just not yourself. And I can't talk. That gets a little irritating."

Marth half-smiled. "Well... I have to go talk to Samus."

"Responsible, aren't you?"

Marth shrugged. "I don't like to let people down."

...

"So, Pit, what do _you _think they're gonna do?" Pia asked. The two of them were sitting in Pit's small main room. Pia had just told Pit their enemy findings.

Pit brooded. "I guess make another plan. I mean, we definitely know that they're up to something, right?"

Pia nodded.

"Well, I guess we should just be on our guard."

"Pit... you don't think that all this has to do with, like, me coming here, right?"

"Well... Pia, don't feel bad, but I think it might. Then again... Ness was captured before you came... I think Falco said two nights before?"

"Yeah, but I was planning to come beforehand, and they might have found out."

"Hmmm..."

"Thanks for being honest, Pit."

"Huh?"

"You didn't try to downplay it, that it was my fault. I like that. You're honest."

"Oh... thanks."

"Listen, can you call Marth and see if he warned Samus and Link yet?"

"Sure." Pit pulled out his phone and dialed Marth's number.

"Put him on speaker."

Pit looked at her oddly, but pressed the speaker button.

_Hello?_

"Hey, Marth, it's Pit."

_Oh, hi, Pit. Has Pia talked to you yet?_

"Yeah, I was calling to see if you've talked to Link and Samus."

_Yeah, I just got back from Samus's place. Man, she already wants to stomp back there and find out what they're up to!_

Pit and Marth both laughed. "I'd go with her. I love adventures like that—that involve traveling."

_Yeah, I just called Ike_—_he called Lyn and told her. He's on his way to go tell Fox and Falco now._

"Okay, good. Hey—you wanna tell him and Link to come meet Pia and I at Sweet Cream's Ice Cream Parlor?"

_Link can't go, he's sick. But I'll tell Ike. By the way... did you know that Link could turn into a wolf?_

"Yeah, why?"

_Oh... I didn't. Well, bye!_

"See ya." Pit hung up and looked at Pia oddly again.

"_What_?" Pia asked, exasperated.

"I was wondering... Pia, do you have a crush on Marth?"

"Wh-wh... what?"

"I mean... you really like hanging out with him, and you always listen really intently when he's speaking, and..."

Pia felt her cheeks grow hot and tears brim in her eyes. She turned away.

"N-no! Pit, of... of course not! No! Pit, really, I swear on the River Styx, I _don't _have a crush on Marth." She tried to keep the quaver out of her voice.

_I love YOU! _She screamed in her mind, making sure Pit couldn't hear.

Pit looked taken aback. "Oh... oh, Pia, I'm sorry. I... I jumped to conclusions. I'm sorry."

Pia inhaled sharply. "It's fine," she said, almost trying to convince herself. "It's fine. I'm okay."

"Would ice cream cheer you up?" Pit grinned. "It would for me."

Pia smiled. "Yeah, you bet.

**Pit is **_**so **_**clueless. Anyway, not sure if I mentioned it before, but Pia has a HUGE crush on Pit. Like I do. Please review!**


	21. A Discussion Over French Toast

"I read somewhere once that your favorite ice cream flavor reflects your personality," Pia said. "What's yours, Pit?"

Pit thought for a second. "Chocolate. And vanilla. And strawberry. And Rocky Road. And Mint Chocolate Chip. And lemon sorbet. And... yeah, pretty much everything except for Rum Raisin and Pineapple Coconut."

Ike stuck out his tongue. "Ugh, yeah. But, you know, as much as I love eating... I've always liked meat and stuff more than fruit and dessert."

"I used to like French toast," Marth said. "It was my favorite food."

"And now...?" Pia asked.

"Now he's a manorexic," Ike snickered.

"I swear, Ike, if you say that word _one more time..._"

"Chill, Marth."

Pia pushed on. "Yeah? Then what? Why don't you like it anymore?"

"Well..." Marth pushed his bangs out of his eyes and smiled ruefully. "So, once I was over at Lyn's place for breakfast..."

...

Marth, Roy, and Hector sat at the table of Hector, Lyn, and Lilina's house. Lyn was in the kitchen, fixing their various breakfast requests—fried eggs for Roy, breakfast steak for Hector, and, of course, French toast for Marth.

"Where's Lilina?" Roy asked Hector with a trace of longing in his voice.

Hector smiled, detecting the longing trace. "She went out with that girl—Shiima, was it?"

"Shiida," Marth corrected him.

"Yeah, that's right. Shiida and Lilina went for a girl's night out. Spent the night out on that island—Talys?"

"Yeah."

Lyn smiled to herself in the kitchen. Boys in love were hilarious. As she was sprinkling the cinnamon and sugar on Marth's French toast, she noticed her friend Florina out the window. Waving to Florina, Lyn didn't notice that she had grabbed a different container instead of the one for the cinnamon.

Lyn brought out the dishes to the boys, balancing them on her arms as skillfully as a waitress.

"Thank you, Lyn," the boys chorused.

"Marth, you ever think of trying something _other _than French toast?" Roy laughed.

Marth didn't respond.

"Marth?" Roy glanced over at Marth's chair just in time to see him collapse on the floor.

"Marth!" Roy yelled. Before anyone else could react, Hector leapt up from his chair and preformed the Heimlich maneuver on Marth. Marth stopped coughing and gasping for breath, but lay still on the table.

"My God, Hector, did you crush him to death?" Roy asked shakily.

Hector bent down and looked at Marth's face. "No. He's been poisoned. Lyn! Get me an antidote from the medicine closet!"

Lyn did as ordered, and soon, Marth was breathing easy again.

"What happened?" Roy asked.

"Looks like it was something in the French toast," Hector deducted. He inspected the dish in front of him.

"Rat poison," he announced. "Nothing major, but he was also choking, and that poison could have seriously messed him up."

Lyn turned bright red. "Oh, my God, Marth! I am _so _sorry! I... I got distracted by Florina outside, and... oh, _why _do I keep the cinnamon and the rat poison right next to each other?"

Marth managed to smile weakly. "Man, Lyn, _one _girl trying to assassinate me is enough!"

...

"Lyn poisoned you?" Ike said as Marth finished his anecdote. Marth nodded grimly.

"Wow. So that's why you don't eat." Ike shook his head in dismay.

"Yeah."

"Wow. I guess I can kind of relate to how you feel, Marth," Pia said, sipping her soda. "When I was little—actually, until I was, like, ten—and I saw a spider somewhere... first, I wouldn't go there for, like, two days. Then, every time after that when I went there, for, like, a month, I would always check in every spot from the doorway before I actually went in." She stuck out her tongue. "Man, I hate spiders."

"You say 'like' a lot," Pit said. "Like, more—" Pit slapped his forehead. "I mean, more than the rest of us."

"Yeah, I know. Does it bother you?" Pit, Ike, and Marth shook their heads.

"So, this one time at school," Pia said, "we were coming up with suggestions for what we could add to the classroom, and I suggested a machine that counted every time we said the word 'like.' So the girl after me, Talia—every time she said 'like,' everyone would laugh."

Pit frowned. "I don't remember that."

"You weren't there," Pia said calmly.

"Now, are we actuallygoing to _get_ our ice cream now, or are we going to sit around talking about French toast and the word 'like'?" Ike asked, cracking his knuckles impatiently.

"Yeah, great!" Pit called a waitress over. Pit got Rocky Road, Pia got Mint Chocolate Chip, Marth got rainbow sherbet, and Ike got Double Chocolate Chunk.

"I love sherbet," Marth said, closing his eyes to savor the flavor. "It melts on your tongue."

"Mmmm... mint," Pia said. "_Always _been one of my all-time favorites. You know what I like to do sometimes? When I'm eating ice cream or chocolate cake or something like that, I read a book at a part where it describes food like that."

"_Why_?" Ike asked incredulously. He had somehow managed to get ice cream on his forehead. "Why would you want to kill the taste of cake and ice cream by reading?"

"It makes it taste better."

"When I was little," Pit said, smiling at a memory, "Amida would always try to get me to eat my applesauce, but I hated it. So we played this game where I was going to a restaurant to have ice cream. So I'd eat one bite of the applesauce, then leave, with long, drawn-out goodbyes. Then, one second later, I'd come back in, with long, overly emotional hellos, eat one more bite... etcetera. I usually ate about half in half in hour."

Marth laughed. "That's funny. In my house, if we didn't like something, tough deal. You stayed there at the table until your plate was clean. So my sister and I developed very mature tastes at very young ages."

"What did they make you eat?" Ike asked.

"Oh, you know... vegetable soup, stuffed mushrooms, creamed corn, fettucine Alfredo..."

"What in the world is that?"

"I don't even know. We weren't supposed to ask. We were supposed to be quiet and eat with perfect manners. And this is from when I was, like, three."

"Man, Marth, your life really sucked when you were little," Pia said nonchalantly.

"Tell me about it," Marth muttered.

"So, what about the enemies? What should we do about it?" Ike asked.

"Ike. It's always _you _who takes the fun out of conversations like this," Marth sighed, grinning at a secret joke.

Pia smirked, understanding. "Well, I say we don't do anything until _they _do something. Like, then we could prove that they're not up to petty mischief _and_ find out more of what they're up to."

"Yes. And for now, we eat ice cream," Pit said.

Marth, Ike, Pit, and Pia laughed and began discussing what to do the next day.

**Poor Marth. The cause for his manorexia is revealed! What will they do tomorrow? Please R&R!**


	22. Savior of the Rain

"Rain, rain, go away," Link moaned, lounging on the couch of a Common Room. He, Ike, Marth, Pit, and Pia were together in one of the many Common Rooms on the edges of the outdoor Common. They were all bright, colorful rooms, with couches, armchairs, mini-fridges, fireplaces, and stoves. They brought up the atmosphere when it rained.

"Really? I like it," Pia said. She was sitting on the pillows on the indoor windowsill. "Makes me feel all warm and cozy."

"Well, then, aren't _you _the optimist," Link grumbled.

Pia shook her head. "No, I'm actually usually a pessimist. I get mad if I don't get my way. Then I feel guilty when I do."

"TMI," Link muttered.

"What do you guys do when it rains?" Pia asked the room at large.

Ike shrugged. "Stay inside. The girls go shopping. We also have indoor stages and stuff. The Pictochat is always fun."

"Oh, yeah!" Pit said, laughing. "If you go there and don't brawl, we choose someone to be the artist, and they make all these cool things for us to play on!"

"Yeah, usually it's Marth," Ike said. "He's the most creative."

"I don't want to go anywhere right now," Pia said. "I want to stay here."

"Aw, man!" Marth said suddenly. "I forgot my book at home. Crap!"

"What book?" Pia called as Marth was leaving.

"_Animal Farm_, by George Orwell."

Link smiled. "I loved that book."

"Me, too," Pia agreed.

...

Marth rushed back from the Battlefield Fortress with his book in hand. Glancing at the rain gutter, he noticed a flash of orange. He turned and gasped.

A little kitten was struggling in the rain gutter, completely soaked. The scrawny thing was being swept by the water straight into the sewer opening.

Marth rushed over and scooped the sopping wet bundle of fur into his arms. He rushed into the Common Room.

"No," Pia was saying. "Snowball really thought of the windmill first, but Napoleon brainwashed the others into thinking that—"

"You guys! You guys!" Marth cried, flinging open the door.

"What? What?" Ike replied.

"Look at this! Look what I found in the rain gutter!" He opened his arms slightly to reveal the drenched kitten.

"Awww! The poor thing!" Pia said.

"It looks half-drowned," Link said, concerned.

Marth nodded. "The water was pushing it into the drain." He set the terrified cat on the couch and started drying it off with a blanket.

"I wonder whose it is?" Pit asked. "I've never seen anyone here with a cat like that."

"Maybe it's a stray," Pia said.

"Maybe," Marth said. "There are a couple of strays around here."

Zelda opened the door. "Oh, there you are, Link," she said. "I've been looking all over for you."

"I don't want to go shopping, Zelda," Link said into a pillow.

"Please?" Zelda pleaded. "Pretty please? Pretty please with—" She noticed Marth and the kitten.

"Awww! Kitty!" She hurried over to Marth's side. "Marth, you have to blow-dry it. Here—" She picked up the kitten and carried it to the vanity table. She turned on the blow-dryer.

"Marth," she called. "Hold it down while I blow-dry it."

Wondering if he'd heard correctly, Marth walked over cautiously and gently pressed the kitten to the table.

When the kitten was blow-dryed and brushed (Pia's idea), it looked very pretty. It was about eight inches long and three inches high, with orangey eyes and striped orange-yellow fur.

"Link, is it a boy or a girl?" Ike asked.

Link picked it up. "Girl," he confirmed.

"What shall we name it?" Zelda asked.

Ike cleared his throat. "Marth gets to name her because Marth found her."

"_Thank _you, Ike," Marth said, taking the kitten from Link. "Hi, kitty," he cooed.

The kitten purred contentedly.

"She likes you," Link informed him. "She says thank you."

"Um... you're welcome?" Marth said.

She purred louder.

"What are you gonna name her?" Pia asked.

Marth's brow furrowed. "I don't know. Give me ideas."

"Caramel?" Zelda suggested.

Marth shook his head.

"Cinnamon?" Pia said.

"No."

"How about Mist? In honor of my sister?" Ike asked.

"That's good," Marth said, nodding. "But it's kind of... I don't know. It's too short..."

"Mistie?" Link suggested. "With an I-E?"

"Yeah!" Marth cried happily. "Mistie!"

Mistie purred and curled up in Marth's arms.

"Are you gonna take her home now?" Pit asked.

Marth shook his head again. "No, I'll wait for the rain to let up."

...

Zelda left to go shopping with Lyn. For a considerable chunk of the afternoon, Marth, Ike, Link, Pit, and Pia played with Mistie and attempted to teach her tricks. She would only answer to Marth.

Pia stroked her fur. "Does she still have her claws?"

"Yes," Ike grumbled. "She showed 'em off on me."

Mistie padded over to Marth again. "_Mew_," she meowed.

Marth picked her up. "Mistie's a good little kitty, aren't you? And Ike was mean to you, wasn't he?"

"Hey!"

"How adorable are you, Mistie?" Marth cooed.

"Do you think we should post a message on the computer message board thing?" Pia asked.

Link shook his head. "She says she escaped from her evil master in a place far away from here. So I guess you're free to keep her, Marth."

"Awesome." Mistie crawled from Marth's lap over to Link's. Link scratched behind her ears.

"Here, Mistie," Ike called halfheartedly. Mistie ignored him.

"Please?" Ike pleaded. Mistie gave in and bounded over to Ike, rubbing against his shins.

"Pit, do you like animals?" Marth asked while Ike played with Mistie.

Pit nodded. "Oh, yeah. I had a bunch of pets growing up. I had a dog, Thunder, and we always had a bunch of cats. Lava, Mimi, Asterisk, Cincinatti—"

"Pit, you had way too many pets," Pia laughed. "And with the randomest names!"

"Pia, you named half of them!"

"Point."

"I have a horse," Link offered. "And a whole bunch of goats."

"Horses are cool," Ike said. "My little sister Mist has a horse."

"What's its name?" Link asked.

"Ike Junior," Ike said, the ends of his lips curving in a smile. Everyone else smiled too.

"I wasn't allowed to have any pets inside the house," Marth said, taking Mistie back from Ike. "We had a few stables."

"I had a dog growing up," Pia said. "Daisy. But we had to put her to sleep."

"That's terrible," Link said forcefully. "Nobody should ever put animals to sleep."

"Link, she was losing her mind. She thought that she was out in the wilderness and she was scared and shaking all the time because she couldn't defend herself. She would come in to my room at night and just stare at me and try to make a nest."

"Aw," Marth said sadly.

"She was really old, though."

"Still..." Link said.

Marth stroked Mistie's fur. "Who do you think she belongs to?"

Link shrugged. "She's not telling me."

"So you can talk to animals, Link?" Pia asked.

"Yeah. I understand what they say. Everyone can talk to them."

"How do we know if you're telling the truth or not?" Ike asked suspiciously.

"Mistie, nod if I'm right. You are hungry and want to go home with Marth."

Mistie bobbed her head up and down.

"You like Ike because he smells like chicken."

Mistie bobbed her head again.

"That's good enough for me," Ike said, smiling.

"Marth, you should take her home. Do the rest of you want to go do something with me?"

"Sure, Pia, I'll show you around the rainy-day attractions," Pit said eagerly. He got to his feet quickly. "I hate not doing anything."

"I'll go with you two, because Pia on her own with only you to guide her is an accident waiting to happen." Link got up and beseeched the two of them sternly.

"Hey! I'm an adventurer! I can handle her and myself!"

"Not to drag you down, Pit," Marth cut in, "but Link's kind of right. You're like a stem cell—you adapt to whatever's around you. For example, if you were only with Link, you would act more grown-up. But if you're with someone younger like Pia, you would act younger."

Pit stuck out his tongue. "Much as I hate to admit it, you're right."

"I'll go home with you, Marth," Ike offered. "And Mistie can eat leftover cold chicken."

Mistie purred and rubbed against Marth's chest.

**Awww... this might seem like a filler chapter, but Mistie will have an important role later. About the I-E... my friend has a cat named Mistie. Creativity points! Anyway, now we know a little bit more about Pit and Link. Not a great sum-up, but please R&R!**


	23. Fun in the Rain

Marth and Ike wiled away the rest of the afternoon playing with Mistie.

"I wonder who she belonged to?" Marth asked.

Ike shrugged. "Beats me. Bowser?"

"Did you belong to someone who lives here, Mistie?" Marth asked, remembering what Link had said about everyone being able to talk to them.

Mistie shook her head.

"There's something strange about this cat," Marth said slowly. "She's very intelligent. And..."

"And what?"

"I don't know. Not _bad_ per se, just... different. Mysterious."

Mistie purred and rubbed against Marth's hand as he scratched her ears. Marth lifted her up against his chest.

"Awww," Ike said softly.

"Here, feel her purrs." Marth handed her to Ike carefully.

"I don't care if she's a demon in disguise. I like her."

...

Pia, Pit, and Link sat on a bench in the indoor mall, staring up at the dark, rainy sky through a skylight.

"I've always liked mall food," Pia said.

"Is that your vote? We should eat here?" Pit asked.

"Yeah. Also I really don't feel like going out in the rain."

Link stretched. "Lucky it didn't rain last night."

"You went out last night?" Pia asked.

"I always do. I hate being cooped up like that all day. Plus it's instinct."

Pia gave a little shudder.

Link shrugged. "I'm used to it by now. At least I don't have some freaky little shadow girl riding me all the time now."

The three of them laughed.

"So, explain to me something," Pia said, ready for a subject change. "Even all of the _stickers _live here?"

"Don't exactly _live_," Pit corrected her. "Just visit. A lot. And they're provided with rooms and stuff. It's a great honor to be included in the game."

"That would explain why there's way more than thirty-five people here," Pia muttered.

"Don't forget about the Assist Trophies," Link reminded her. "They usually stay here all the time. So that adds a bunch to the complete live-in total."

"I'm hungry," Pit complained.

"Okay. Where do you want to go?" Link asked, getting up.

"Someplace that has great desserts." Pit got up and stretched.

"That place over there has pizza and great Italian desserts," Link offered, pointing at an Italian eatery.

"Oh, great! I love Italian food," Pia said, pronouncing it "eye-talian."

She and Pit cracked up. Link looked at them oddly.

"Inside joke," Pit said, wiping his eyes.

"See what I mean by you being childish by being around childish people?" Link said as they made their way to the restaurant.

"That's not nice, Link," Pia said, pretending to be angry. At least, it looked like she was pretending.

"Does Mario come here a lot?" She asked as they were seated.

Link nodded. "Yeah. I like him. He's a great guy."

"Mmhmm," Pia murmured. "You guys _are _going to eat, right?"

"_I _am. I'm starving." Link took a drink of water. "I'm getting pepperoni. How about you?"

"Plain," Pia said. "I know. Far out. I'm getting _plain_. Really going out on a limb there, aren't I? Hoo boy."

Pit rolled his eyes good-naturedly.

"You're just getting dessert, right?" Pia asked Pit.

He nodded.

"I'm going home after this," Pia announced after they ordered. Pepperoni pizza for Link, plain pizza for Pia, and cannoli for Pit.

"Me, too," Link said. "I hate this weather."

"Me three," Pit said lazily. "It gets me down. It even gets almost dark in Skyworld 'cause of the dark clouds."

"Look who's being a lazy boy," Pia said in a cooey voice. "Lazy Pit. Lazy Pit. Lazy..." She slumped. "Pia. Lazy Pia. Lazy Pia." She got up. "Forget this. I'm going home. You can have my pizza, Link."

Pit got up too. "I'm coming with you. Bye, Link."

Pia slurred a good-bye too. They both left.

Link sat by himself, feeling like an idiot. He sighed, pulled out his cell phone, and invited Zelda to join him.

**Yes, it's quite obviously a filler chapter and shows that I am hungry for Italian food. And I am very tired. But the next chapter will be VERY importante! If anyone comments, please leave a guess as to whom you think Mistie's previous owner was.**


	24. Jarring Discovery

**Okay, before you guys give me flak about the contents of the box being in plain view on his dresser, you just come up with a better idea of how she would find them without snooping! Besides, the box was locked.**

"Thanks for breakfast, Lyn," Ike called as he and Marth ran out the door into the sunshine.

"Welcome," Lyn called back. She sighed. She was feeling tired today, so she decided to stay around the castle and clean.

She tackled Ike's room first, because it was harder. Marth's room would be like a reward for the death pit of Ike's room—Marth kept his room insanely clean.

Lyn felt happy and peaceful as she picked the miscellaneous junk off the floor and sorted his clothes into clean and dirt-encrusted categories. Ike was such a good guy for her.

She stood up and stretched. Her elbow accidentally hit a polished wood box on his dresser. It crashed to the ground and broke open.

Lyn clapped her hands over her mouth and blushed in embarrassment. She quickly dropped to her knees and began stuffing the contents—letters—back into the box.

Then she stopped. She looked at one more closely. Feeling guilty, she skimmed the letter. She wrinkled her nose. It was a smutty, sappy love letter from some girl, thanking Ike for the great time in bed. Blushing redder, Lyn hurriedly began folding the letter—and froze.

She hadn't noticed the date before. Now she did.

She dropped the letter and backed away. Almost immediately, she rushed back and read it again. And the letter. Then the date again. Over and over and over again.

Fighting back tears, Lyn dropped the note for good and ran out of the room, into the entrance hall and out into the sunny street. She didn't know where she was going, only that she was getting away, away from the evil Ike and his disgusting old love letters.

The date had read "Spring, 706."

Five years into their relationship.

...

She ran up the marble stairs to the garden and flung open the door to Pit and Pia's house.

Pia was sitting at the table, staring intently at her computer screen. She turned to see Lyn and started to smile, but stopped when she saw Lyn's tear-streaked face. She immediately adopted a somber expression and ushered Lyn into her room.

"What happened?" She asked bluntly.

"Can't you tell?" Lyn sniffed.

"One, I'm not going to invade the privacy of your head and two, you need to talk about it."

"Ike cheated on me!" Lyn sobbed. She laid her head down on her arms and drew breath in gulping sobs.

"When? This morning?" Pia asked angrily.

"N-no! Y-years ago," Lyn said, her voice quivering. "I found a bunch of old love letters in this pretty box. It was just an accident, I swe-e-ear! And there was this smut note from this girl thanking Ike for hot sex... and the date was from five years into our relationship!"

"Oh my gods," Pia gasped. "Lyn, honey, stay here as long as you want."

"If Ike calls—" Lyn grimaced saying his name. "If he calls, say I'm not here."

Pia nodded. "You want some hot tea?"

Lyn sniffed. "Yes, please."

...

Ike ran up the stairs of the Battlefield Fortress to his room. He frowned when he got there—hadn't he closed the door? He shrugged it off and entered the room.

Lyn had been in here cleaning, he noticed with a smile. He grabbed his cell phone from the dresser and started to run out—then froze in his tracks.

He fell to his knees next to his box of old love letters. His broken box of love letters. With one particularly incriminating one on top.

Strangely, the fear cleared his mind, but not his body. His hands and fingers were shaking so much that it took him three tries to open his cell phone and call Marth.

Oh, good! You found it? Marth said, unaware.

"Marth," Ike said, his voice cracking. "Get... come..."

What? What is it? What happened? Marth said flatly.

"Lyn... cheat..."

Lyn cheated on you? Marth yell-whispered.

"No, Marth!" Ike screamed, getting his voice back. "I cheated on Lyn! I cheated on Lyn! And she found out!"

There was a cold silence on the other end of the line. Then a dial tone.

Ike sat on his bed in a fetal position, sitting up with his head buried in and his arms wrapped around his knees. His best friend had hung up on him, disgusted; his girlfriend had run away and was almost definitely breaking up with him. As his vision blurred with tears, he had only one thought: Life sucks.

...

Lyn's phone rang. She jumped, then started trembling. Pia looked at her with pity. The poor girl was really broken.

Pia picked up the phone and read the caller ID.

"It's Marth," she said with obvious relief.

"He could be calling from Marth's phone," she whispered into her arms.

"We'll wait for the message," Pia comprimised.

Eventually, the phone stopped ringing. Pia checked the message and played it on speaker.

Lyn, it's Marth. I don't know if your phone's off or what, but we need to talk. Ike knows; he called me and I hung up on him. I don't know whose side to take. Please call me back.

Lyn held out a shaking hand. Pia gave her the phone. Marth picked up on the first ring.

"Marth! Marth, please come over. I'm at Skyworld. I don't know what to do-o-o-o..." Her voice broke.

Lyn... just wait for me, okay? Why didn't you pick up?

"You might have been Ike in disguise," she whispered.

There was a pause. Lyn. Just hold on. I'm coming. He hung up.

...

"What did he tell you, Marth?" Lyn asked in a shaky voice.

Marth sighed. "He couldn't talk at first. He was stuttering and shaking and his voice was all cracked... and then he just screamed at me that he had cheated on you and you'd found out."

Lyn took a shaky breath. "Do you think he'll try to call me?"

"No. At least, not now."

Pia was sitting on the couch, feeling awkward. After all, she had only known Lyn for about six days now.

"Do you want me to talk to Ike while you talk to Marth?" Pia asked quietly.

Lyn and Marth both looked at her. Lyn nodded.

"Yeah. That... that'd be great, Pia-na-na."

...

Ike was still on his bed when he heard the door open. He closed his eyes. It was either Marth or Lyn, and he wouldn't... couldn't... talk to either of them right now.

"Ike," a girl said softly. It wasn't Lyn. He opened his eyes a crack.

Pia walked over and sat on the side of Ike's bed. He sat up beside her.

"Shame on you," Pia said. "Did you know that Lyn is crying her poor eyes out right now? And that Marth knows he can't take either side because he'd be letting down a friend?"

"Go away," Ike moaned.

"Let me see the note she read."

Ike was silent.

Pia sighed and pulled out Marth's cell phone. As she called Lyn, she shuddered to see Ike so sad and quiet and vulnerable. It wasn't like him at all, and it was creepy.

"Lyn, it's me."

Oh. Hi.

"Which one was the note you read?"

If he hasn't destroyed the evidence yet, it should be near the top. It starts with: My Darling Ike... with pink hearts around the side.

"I see it. Bye." Pia hung up and picked up the note. Her stomach clenched. It was like reading porn.

Pia dropped the note and leaned against the dresser to steady herself.

"If it's any consolation to anyone, I hate myself more than anything right now," Ike said in a sad monotone.

"Lyn won't believe you." She paused. "Ike. Just how much did you cheat on her?"

Ike buried his head against his knees. "Too much."

"If you weren't being a sissy and hiding right now, I would slap your face so hard..." Pia trailed off. She felt so angry. Lyn was such a sweet, happy girl. And Ike was such a funny, happy guy. Lyn didn't derserve this.

"With who?"

"What?"

"Who did you cheat on her with?"

Ike rolled over onto his back, tears running down either side of his face. Pia felt a stab of pity for him, even though she knew she shouldn't.

"With Mia, in the year 702. That was the first year I was with Lyn. We hadn't made love yet. In 704, I got drunk with Shinon at a strip club and had drunk sex with some random chick. The one you read was from a really pretty poor girl I bought food for. I... just couldn't help myself. And that's all."

Pia's eyes were wide. She opened her mouth but no sound came out.

Ike rolled over to face her. "I'm a horrible human being."

Pia nodded.

Ike closed his eyes tight and cried some more. "Goddammit, Pia, I want Lyn back. She was perfect for me. I don't what I was thinking..." His voice cracked. He took a deep breath. "I don't know what I was thinking when I cheated on her. Why? Why..."

With a heavy heart, Pia left Ike to sob in his room. This was a job for Marth.

...

"What the hell is wrong with you, Ike?" Marth said as he flung open Ike's door. Ike didn't answer.

"Huh? What's wrong with you, you crazy bastard?" Ike winced.

"What—" Marth said, grabbing Ike by his collar, "—is wrong with you?"

"I don't know!" Ike screamed to the ceiling. "I don't know!"

"Yes you do. Think. Who do you think is too upset to eat anything? Or even talk now? Huh? Who?"

"Lyn." Ike whispered.

"Yeah. That's right. Lyn. You know, the girl who lost her husband and daughter and her home, the one whose heart you shattered? Yeah. That one."

"You think I don't know?" Ike sobbed. "You think I don't absolutely hate myself right now?"

Marth's face softened. "Wow. I've never seen you like this before." Marth took out his phone and took some pictures of this different Ike.

"These are so going on the Internet," Marth murmured.

"Backstabber," Ike sniffed.

"You're one to talk," Marth spat back.

"I have an idea," Ike said, on the verge of tears. "Let's pretend that I already feel like a genuine %&$&*&! right now and you don't need to make me feel any crappier."

Marth hung his head. "I'm sorry. For being mean to you, that is. And I have some advice for you. Tell Lyn the exact truth. Don't downplay it at all. Let her know just how sorry you are about all this. Tomorrow."

Ike turned towards Marth with his red eyes open wide.

"Just for the record," Ike said as he got up on shaky legs, "if I die, I'm blaming you."

**o.0 Wow. Ike's up the river without a paddle and it's up to his eyes. Oh, and that crazy swear... just use your imagination. Just so you know... Ike and Lyn started dating in 701, and currently in FE World it's 710.**


	25. Apology

**Funny story: I wrote two chapters, forgot about this one, and almost posted the second before this one. Fail... oh well I'm glad that didn't happen! Now back to... The Drama of Ike and Lyn!**

Ike wasn't sure how to prepare himself for this. He paced his room over and over again. After a while, when Lyn opened the door to his room, Ike made a snap decision to just take it as it came.

He was prepared for pain, which was good. The instant Lyn saw him, she ran up and slapped him so hard that he stumbled backwards.

"I _hate _you!" Lyn screamed. "I hate you right now more than _anything_!"

"I know that," Ike whispered. "Me too."

"You _should_!" Then she collapsed on the bed and broke down in tears.

Ike hesitated. Then he sat next to her and put his arms around her shoulders.

"Get away from me," Lyn said in a low voice.

"Lyn," Ike said, ignoring her, "I'm going to tell you this exactly as it was, okay? I'm not going to downplay it, and I'm not going to lie to make myself look better."

Although she never would have told him, Lyn felt proud of Ike for being that brave, and grateful that she was getting the whole truth.

"In 702, I slept with Mia."

"Mia?" Lyn cried. Mia was her friend. She liked Mia. She was spunky and sassy and not afraid to speak her mind. Lyn felt the tears coming. How could Mia have betrayed her like that?

"Lyn, don't blame her. She didn't know we were dating. She never found out. I just told her to not tell anyone. So that's all my fault, okay? Get mad at me."

"Done," Lyn sniffled.

"In 704, Shinon took me to a strip club and I got drunk..."

"Say no more," Lyn said in a cracked voice. Much as she hated Ike right now and wanted to blame him, she found she couldn't. It reeked of an Ike-hating Shinon plot.

Ike took a quivering breath. "The one you read was from this hot, poor girl that I bought food for. I couldn't help myself. And that's it."

"What do you mean 'that's it'? You cheated on me _three _times?" Lyn screeched. Secretly, she didn't think it actually sounded that bad, but she was still shocked and violated by the fact that Ike had cheated on her multiple times and kept it a secret for so long.

"Three times in nine years? Is that really that bad?" Ike asked in a high, pleading voice.

"Yes!"

"Lyn." Ike pulled her closer to him. Lyn either couldn't or wouldn't fight back. He felt terrible for hurting her like this. "Lyndis. Please, Lyn, please forgive me."

Save for some choked sobs, Lyn was silent.

Marth's cat walked into the room and jumped onto Lyn's lap. She mewed softly.

Lyn smiled weakly through her tears and patted Mistie.

"See? That's why you should forgive me," Ike said.

Lyn laughed that shaky laugh people laugh when they find something funny when they're nervous. "How does me petting a cat tie into me forgiving you?"

"Because it's Marth's cat, and if we keep fighting like this, Marth is going to be even more miserable than the two of us. So... can we at least be friends?"

Lyn smiled and wiped her eyes. "I'm definitely not ready to date you again."

"So... we're no longer dating, but we're not officially broken up."

"Yeah."

Ike looked away. "So... I guess we're friends? For now at least?"

Lyn nodded. "Yeah. That's good, right?"

"Yeah," Ike said softly. It was better than it had been lately. Friends...


	26. Shock Waves Receding

**Ehhh... I get off-topic a bit here. Just try to stay with me! And also I had this chapter all ready, but then I had no Internet for a while. Enjoy!**

"So Ike and Lyn are just gonna be friends now?" Pit asked Marth. The two of them were by themselves outside Sweet Cream's Ice Cream Parlor enjoying milkshakes.

Marth stirred his milkshake with his straw. "Yeah. For the time being."

"Must be the weirdest for you, right?" Pit asked. "I mean, you've seen them together for so long..."

Marth nodded. "It's pretty weird. But, you know? In a way, I kind of feel glad. Now neither of us are together."

"Ah. Like, 'Now you see how it feels?'"

"Uh-huh."

"Must be great, having a friend like that," Pit said. "You got someone to be with from your own game, who you actually like."

"Yeah, it's pretty great. But... I don't know. It's sort of like a crutch. Like, if I hadn't made friends with anyone else, I've got Ike as a fallback. I don't really like that. I like going out and facing my fears with no help. But I do like being part of a team." Marth sipped his milkshake.

"Yeah, I don't like crutches like that either... friend-wise. Adventure-wise... they're pretty cool."

Marth rolled his eyes. "So, is Pia your best friend? You got the best deal—you got a friend, but not at the beginning."

"You're right about the good deal part, but Pia isn't my best friend."

"Really? Who is?"

"A guy back home. His name's Sasha."

Marth gave a little smile. "A guy named Sasha?"

"Yeah. All the guys hate him and all the girls love him."

Marth thought for a second. "How does _that _work?"

"The guys hate him because the girls all love him, and the girls love him 'cause he's handsome."

"What's he look like?"

"Ummm..." Pit thought. "For the record, we got really off-topic. Can we talk about Ike and Lyn again?"

"Of course. Yeah... so Lyn's still a little rattled, but they act civil around each other now."

"So do you think they're gonna get back together?"

Marth ran his hand along his glove in thought. "Definitely. Not right now, obviously, but eventually. They're too perfect for each other. I just _really _hope that Ike doesn't take the fact that they're meant for each other as a go-ahead to slack off and cheat again."

Pit shook his head. "He won't. He learned his lesson. He doesn't want to hurt Lyn again."

Marth sighed. "I wish I could read minds."

"I can't do it like everyone else can. I have to use my essence-draining power. But almost everyone else I know can just, like, do it."

"That didn't sound right."

"Yeah, I realized that about halfway through."

Marth decided to change the subject. "So... you're fifteen, right?"

Pit finished his milkshake. "Yeah."

"You seem so much younger than me. Maybe it's because you're short and I'm tall."

Pit looked at Marth disdainfully. "Thanks. Real nice."

"I didn't mean it like an insult."

"It sounded like one."

"Well, I'm sorry."

They sat in an awkward silence for a while.

"Which of your friends were prejudiced?" Marth asked, completely out of the blue.

Pit was quiet for a moment. "You remember that guy Jonathan who was mean to Agamemnon? Him. A lot. Especially once he got older."

"So what would he do if he saw me?"

"Act all superior. Which we are, by the way." Pit smirked and Marth rolled his eyes.

"Go on," Marth said.

"Yeah, and he'd probably frequently call you 'human,' like, with an air of superiority. And frequently look at you with disdain. And make degrading remarks about how inferior humans are. Stuff like that."

"And were you friends with him?"

"Not really. All the girls loved him, and everyone always wanted him on his team for sports and stuff because he was so fast. That was his Ability... superspeed."

Marth snorted. "So were a lot of people prejudiced?"

"Well, Jonathan was prejudiced against pretty much everyone. Blacks, Jews, gays... lots of people hate him now. When I was little... only a few people were prejudiced against humans like that. But once I got older... right before I left to go here, lots of people were getting prejudiced. Like, my friend Julián Castrejana... he was a great guy, you know? All happy, and really good-looking. The kind of guy that everyone likes. Well... he's prejudiced now."

"That's really sad," Marth said sincerely. "So... Julián was Mexican? Or Spanish? How do you have angels like that?"

"It's sort of random," Pit explained. "See, Angel Land is a lot like Earth, just bigger. The Overworld and Skyworld are each split into three parts—pagan, like Greek and Roman; Jewish and Christian; and Islam with something else. In Skyworld, they're _very _strictly split. Not unfriendly, but, see, I had a Jewish friend named Isaiah, and we had to get special permission to meet each other right on the border."

"What about the Overworld?"

"Loosely split. And the humans who live there aren't really aware of it. So they have, like, three of everything. So three Spains, three Frances, three Israels..."

"Don't they find that _strange _at all?" Marth asked incredulously.

Pit shrugged. "That's just how it's always been. They don't know anything different."

"So... where did Julián live?"

"Ummm... he was a messenger, like Jonathan and Isaiah, so he traveled a lot... oh yeah, he was pagan. Roman, I think. He just happened to be of Mexican descent."

Marth nodded. "And you and Pia are pagan Greek, right?"

"Yeah. Pia converted from Judaism a while ago."

"Heh... so when you and Isaiah are talking to each other, one says, 'Oh my God,' and the other says 'Oh my gods'? That's kinda screwy."

Pit shrugged again. "That's just how it is. You're pagan, but you say 'Oh my God.'"

It was Marth's turn to shrug. "Yeah. I think it's especially funny in _Genealogy of the Holy War_, 'cause basically the whole plot is the followers of the _god _Naga and the followers of the _evil god _Loputousu fighting against each other. And when the girl gets captured, the Lord, Celice, says, 'Oh my God! Yuria! You're all right!' or something like that."

Pit laughed. "Oh my God! The evil god Loputousu is causing trouble again!"

Marth laughed. "Yeah... and for the whole part of Ike's first game, they were all accidentally praying to an evil goddess. And we don't pray to anyone in my game."

"Yeah. Marth the atheist."

"No, an atheist is someone who doesn't _believe _in God. We just didn't _have _any gods."

"That's weird."

"Says you." Marth swung his legs. "You had a lot of friends, didn't you?"

"Yeah. Did you and Ike?"

Marth nodded. "Yeah. Ike had a lot of friends. He always said he liked girls with green hair. Like Princess Elincia, who he _totally _had a crush on for a while, and if he says anything else, he's lying."

"No I'm not." Ike walked by and sat next to Pit.

"Oh, hey Tiger—er, I mean Ike." Pit snickered.

Ike looked at Pit. "_So _not helping."

Marth reached over and shoved Ike on the shoulder. "Lighten up, man. Wow, I never thought I'd actually have to say anything like that to you."

Ike rested his chin in his hand, balancing on the side of the bench. "Mmmm. You wanna be awesome and go in and get a milkshake for me?"

Marth got up and sighed. "Oh, cruel fate! Why must it beest _I _that shalt enter thine sacred chamber of iced cream yonder? Why? Ah, why, great deities of thine world of Fire Emblem? Why?"

He was still dramatically lamenting when he got inside. Ike and Pit were still hysterically laughing when he got inside.

"Marth sure can be funny when he wants to be," Ike smiled.

"He didn't even use the words right!" Pit laughed. "'Thine' means yours!"

"I don't care. That was hilarious."

"So... Marth was asking me about my friends' prejudice. Were you two talking about that at all?"

Ike shook his head. "No. But I'm totally used to that kind of thing. You know the Laguz?"

"Um... I think so. The people who turn into animals, right?"

Ike nodded. "Yeah. A bunch of them were prejudiced. My friend Lethe... not a lot are now, though."

Pit squinted into the bright sunlight. "Ike... would you ever want to go to the _real _Skyworld? Like, see all my friends?"

Ike blinked. "Why would I?"

Pit shrugged. "I dunno. Just so you know that there's more to me than this."

Pit's phone rang. "Hold on a sec," he said.

"Hello?"

_Hi, Pit, it's Pia._

"Oh, hi, Pia! What's up?"

_Um... where are you? I'm kind of getting bored at home..._

"I'm with Ike and Marth outside Sweet Cream's."

_Oh, good! Can I come, too?_

"Sure!"

_Okay, bye!_

Pit snapped his phone shut. "You don't mind, do you?"

"'Course not. By the way... you don't have a crush on Pia, do you?" Ike gazed up at the sky nonchalantly. If he was out of his relationship, he at least wanted Pit and Pia to be in one.

"On Pia?" Pit stammered. "Wh-why do you ask?"

"Oh... I don't know. I guess it's just that whenever you see a guy and a girl who've been friends for a long time, it seems that once they get older they start loving each other, break up and ruin the relationship."

Pit shook his head vigorously. "N-no. Of course I don't have a crush on her. It's funny," he added, smiling, "I just asked Pia the other day if she liked Marth."

"Who likes Marth?" Marth asked, handing Ike his milkshake.

"I thought Pia did," Pit explained. "But she said she didn't."

Marth coughed. "Dude. I _don't _think she has a crush on me. At all. Seriously."

"Yeah, she was really forceful saying no."

"Yes I was," Pia said, stopping next to their bench. "I don't love you, Marth."

"Well, that hurt," Marth said, patting his chest. "That hurt right here."

"One can't win in this crazy world." Pia sat down next to Marth.

"You want a milkshake? I'll get you one," Marth offered.

"Yeah, sure. Thanks. Chocolate, please."

As Marth went in again, Pia slid over. "So," she said to Ike sternly, "how's Lyn handling this?"

Ike winced. "Okay."

"Mmmm."

"Do we know anyone who's broken up like that?" Pit asked Pia.

"Hmmm... Jeremiah Judian and Shoshanna Benedict?" Pia said. "She's dating his twin brother now, but they're still friends."

"Ouch," Ike said. "That'd be like Marth dating Lyn."

"What do you guys want to do today?" Pit asked. "It's beautiful out and the day is young."

"We could go to the Lake," Ike offered. "But we'd have to beat out Rayquaza first."

"And the mermaids," Pit said disgustedly.

Pia wrinkled her nose. "There're _mermaids _there?"

"What's wrong with mermaids?" Ike asked.

"They're natural enemies of angels," Pit explained.

"I thought those were demons."

"Yeah. Those too."

"Who cares? They don't bother you."

"Who doesn't bother you?" Marth said, handing a milkshake to Pia.

"Mermaids," she said, taking a sip.

"Natural enemies of angels," Ike explained.

"Ahhh. Right." Marth nodded.

"So... Marth and I go home and change while you beat Rayquaza?"

"How about we go invite Link and meet you at the Lake to beat out Rayquaza together?" Pit suggested with an eye roll.

"Yeah, sure," Ike said gloomily as Marth pulled him up.

**Mermaids are eeeevil. Please R&R! P.S. Sasha and Juliàn may be mentioned again... fun names are fun!**


	27. Fun at the Lake

"Cannonball!" Ike yelled as he jumped off the rope swing into the Lake. Due to the recent rainfall, the Lake was even deeper than usual.

"Barnes bomb!" Link yelled as he followed Ike.

The two of them surfaced. "Get in, you guys!" Ike yelled to Marth, Pit, and Pia.

"I'm not a freaking penguin!" Pit called back. "I can't fly in water!"

"You can't swim?" Marth said, surprised.

Pit shook his head. "Why aren't you taking off your shirt?"

Marth was still wearing a blue t-shirt that he used mostly for sleeping. He gave Pit a pained look. "Because I'm uncomfortable with my adolescent body, Pit. God!"

"Or is it because you're a skinny shrimp and Ike and Link make you look even wimpier because they have six-packs?" Pia offered.

"Oh yeah, baby!" Ike yelled, climbing up on the rocks to display his tan, muscular body. "Ike is da man!"

"Well, it's actually because I have ugly, painful and unsightly red scars covering the entirety of my back that I received from a whipping by an evil king. Not because I don't have a six-pack," Marth guilt-tripped everyone.

The blonde mermaids reclining on the rocks on the far shore of the Lake batted their eyelashes at Ike. He blushed and toppled off the rocks.

"You can have him. Cheap." Lyn called to them.

"Oh, hi, Lyn," Marth said, turning. "When did you get here?"

"Just now." Lyn plopped down next to Marth on the mossy rocks and took off her flowing green sundress to reveal a shimmery green bikini. "Why aren't you in the water, prince man?"

"Good question." Marth ran forward and vaulted off the rocks into the water. He surfaced a second later.

"Warm, right?" Ike swam over. "Get in, Lyn!"

"I need to work on my tan." Lyn rolled over onto her stomach.

As quietly as he could, Ike slipped out of the water and stood over Lyn, dripping water on her back. At first, she simply absentmindedly brushed her fingers over her back, but after a while, her eyes snapped open and she sat up.

"Ike!" She cried. "Have you forgotten that you're on probation?"

Ike hung his head. "Sorry. Couldn't resist."

Lyn rolled her eyes and lay down again.

The mermaids on the other side of the Lake started giggling. Suddenly, one ducked underwater and reappeared a second later right in front of Marth. He instinctively jumped up on the rocks. She slid up next to him, her tail dangling over the edge.

"Just so you know," she said, rolling her eyes. "This is a dare."

"Well, that makes me feel good about myself." Marth laughed nervously.

"So, what's your name?" She asked sweetly, batting her eyelashes and tossing her long blond hair seductively over her shoulder.

"M-Marth," Marth stammered.

"And how old are you?"

"Sixteen."

"Mmmm... and do you have a girlfriend?"

Marth opened his mouth but no sound came out.

"Ohhhh," she said, sticking out her lower lip in a pout. Pit stuck his finger down his throat.

"And do you want one?" She asked, pushing his bangs away from his face.

"Aw, leave him alone!" Pit said disgustedly. "He wouldn't date you if he got _paid_."

The mermaid whirled around to face Pit and bared her teeth. Then she shook her finger at him.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk," she said. "Rude, rude, rude! Bad angel! Bad, immature angel!" And with that, she hopped off the rocks and back into the water. Within half a second, she was gossiping with her friends again.

Pit rolled his eyes. "Don't get mixed up in that kinda stuff, Marth. She'dve seduced you if you'd been here alone."

Marth blushed. "I didn't want to hurt her feelings."

"Oh gods, Marth, you're as bad as I was before I started to just care about myself!" Pia said, rolling her eyes.

"Okay," Marth nodded. He slipped back into the water. "Get in, Lyn!"

Lyn squeezed her eyes shut. "Okaaaay," she groaned. She rolled over and flipped off the rocks into the water.

Link floated on his back. "Mmmm. It's so warm out. I wish it would always be like this... all peaceful and stuff..."

Ike rolled his eyes. "Enjoy it, bud. I hear we might be in for some snow soon."

"That's crazy," Pia said, gaping. "It's boiling today!"

"It happens," Lyn said gloomily. "Master Hand and Crazy Hand give us heads-ups on the weather, usually."

"The Creators," Ike said in a hushed voice. "Legend has it that they watches over all, all the time."

"The Creator? You mean Masahiro Sakurai?" Pia asked. "The creator of Super Smash Bros. Brawl?"

"I'd love to meet him," Marth said dreamily. "What a genius he must be."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Ike said, waving his hand dismissively.

"But seriously!" Marth persisted. "How cool would it be to meet the one who created us?"

Pia nonchalantly cleared her throat.

"Who created the game, I mean!" Marth rephrased.

"Yeah, that would be cool," Pia agreed.

"Let's go! Masahiro!" Ike and Link cheered.

"I think he'd be pretty freaked out if he actually met us," Pit pointed out. "Or he'd just think we were weirdos pretending that we were video game characters."

"True," Marth sighed.

"Saki could be our translator if we ever do meet him," Lyn said.

"Mmmm." Pia tilted her head up toward the sky. "I admire that dude."

Pit laughed. "Saki or Masahiro?"

Pia thought. "Both. The Japanese will take over the world one day."

"Yes, we will!" Marth said, climbing back onto the rocks. "And everyone who ever accused me of being gay or female will suffer! They will _suffer_!" He smiled crazily.

"Okay... let's tone down the insanity a bit, Marth," Ike said, patting Marth on the arm.

"You're Japanese?" Link asked, joining Marth on the rocks.

"Well... I speak it fluently, 'cause I was kinda _created _in Japan. And if I dyed my hair black..."

"Your eyes are too huge," Pia said.

Marth sighed. "Oh well."

"It's kind of cool, talking about the actual game," Pit said. "Especially when we actually play it."

"Yeah," the others agreed.

"Pit, did you know that the voice actors for you and... Lyn, I think, are the same?" Pia asked.

"What? I'm voiced by a _girl_?"

Pia nodded apologetically.

"How about me?" Marth asked.

Pia shrugged.

"Me?" Ike asked.

"Athlete Jason Adkins."

"Weird..." Ike said. "My... voice actor..."

"Okay, dude, get a hold of yourself. It's just a voice actor." Lyn shook him.

"You sound so much older in the actual game, Ike," Marth laughed.

"And your voice is a lot higher," Ike shot back.

"And I communicate by grunts and yells," Link said, sticking out his tongue.

They laughed.

"So, what's happened in the past week?" Pia asked. "It's been long."

"Let's see..." Marth began. "Day one, you came, and Line dissed Pit, and Zelda dissed me."

"And day two, our swords got stolen, and we brawled all day, and at night—" Ike stopped, remembering that Pit couldn't know about Pia's explanation. "—uh, at night, Marth had his dream about Agamemnon."

Link nodded. "Day three, Marth apologized to Zel, we saved Samus and Ness, and Pit and Marth shared their stories."

"Day four, Link was sick, Marth and I went for smoothies, and we got ice cream and talked about poison French toast," Pia smiled.

Lyn blushed. "Hmmm... day five, it rained, and Marth got Mistie."

"Day six..." Ike stopped and blushed. The joking mood vanished, replaced by an awkward silence.

Pit cleared his throat. "Uh, then day seven, Ike apologized. And today, we're here."

"Wow," Pia sighed. "It sure has been a pizzazzful week."

She, Pit, Marth, Ike, and Link cracked up.

"What's so funny?" Lyn asked.

"That's Ike's favorite word," Link snickered.

"Along with 'manorexic,'" Marth added.

As they laughed again, the sun went behind the clouds. Ike, Marth, and Link shivered. The mermaids slipped off the rocks and dove underwater.

"Brrr," Ike shivered. "Told you it would get cold."

Lyn peered up at the sky. "Looks like we're in for some rain."

Ike, Marth, and Link climbed out of the water.

"Ah, well," Marth shrugged. "We got the best of it while it lasted."

"Always the optimist," Pia sighed, handing the boys towels. "Does the weather always change like that here?"

They nodded.

Pia sighed. "Let's go home, then."

"Why don't you all come to our castle?" Marth suggested. "You haven't visited yet."

Pit and Pia looked at each other. "Sure," Pit said. "You want to come, Pia?"

"Yeah, sure," Pia said breathlessly.

**A few things: Poor Marth almost got seduced, please don't be offended if you're Asian, they are aware that they are video game characters, angels can't swim, Master and Crazy are mentioned, and the weather changes erratically. On the subject, have a happy new year and review me, please!**


	28. Tea, Lords, and Kittens

"So, Ike, Marth, do you guys know any other Fire Emblem Lords?" Link asked. He, Lyn, Marth, Ike, Pit, and Pia were all in Ike and Marth's castle. Lyn and Pia were making them hot tea.

Ike made a face. "Yeah. That nasty female dog Micaiah."

"Ike!" Marth reprimanded him. "She isn't a female dog!"

"Um, excuse me?" Ike said, raising his eyebrows. "She was willing to _kill _me just for the sake of her country! And she wasn't even fighting for good! She was fighting on the bad side!"

"You just don't like her because she calls you 'Isaac' all the time," Marth snickered.

"Yeah, that and the fact that she routinely tries to _kill_ me with her stupid Light magic spells!"

"Anyway," Marth said, "we know Micaiah, Roy, Lyn, and I knew Hector and Eliwood before they died."

"Who are all the other ones?" Pit asked.

"Alm and Cellica, from Gaiden... we really don't know anything about them."

"Siglud from Genealogy's dead, but his son Celice and all his friends are still alive. Leaf, Celice's cousin, from Thracia 776, Ephraim and Eirika from Sacred Stones... and the people from TearRing Saga who we know nothing about." Ike rolled over on his back. "I'm kind of glad we got to come here... we got a taste of modern stuff."

"Celice... he's a guy, right?" Link asked. Marth and Ike nodded. "How do you spell his name?"

"C-E-L-I-C-E," Marth replied.

"Really? I thought it was S-E-H-L-E-E-S-E. Boy, was I off."

"Well, that's how it sounds..."

"So... how many Lords are there? Not counting TearRing Saga?" Pit asked.

Marth counted on his fingers. "Me, Alm, Cellica, Siglud, Celice, Leaf, Roy, Eliwood, Hector, Lyn, Ephraim, Eirika, Ike, and Micaiah. That's fourteen."

"So, you guys have fourteen games?" Pit said.

"Not sure," Ike said. "See, some Lords have more than one game, like Marth, or there's more than one Lord to a game, like Ephraim and Eirika."

"Ephraim and Eirika's game is the only one that doesn't coincide with any other games," Marth pointed out.

"What do you mean?" Pit asked.

"For example, my two games, Dragons of Darkness and Mystery of the Emblem and their remakes coincide with Gaiden. Some characters, and my sword the Falchion..."

"Ah, okay."

Lyn and Pia came in bearing trays of steaming mugs. They set down the trays carefully, then doled out the cream and sugar.

"This feels so... medieval," Pit said as he stirred sugar into his tea.

"Well, we _are _medieval," Marth said, rolling his eyes.

"I checked the weather reports," Lyn announced. "We're in for some snow."

"Wow," Pia said. "Today you guys were swimming in the Lake, and tomorrow you might be ice-skating on it."

"Yeah, I know, right?" Pit said. "I love ice-skating."

"It actually hasn't snowed for a while here," said Link. "We haven't had to wear our winter clothes."

"You have to wear winter clothes?" Pia asked.

Link nodded. "I just wear a green fur coat. Basically the winter version of what I wear every day."

"I get to be an ultimate Lord again," Ike said, smiling. "I wear my Lord outfit and a turtleneck like Leaf's underneath."

"I get to look like a magical winter wonderland king with, like, flowing and majestic fur-lined robes." Marth rolled his eyes.

"You're lucky, Marth, yours are the warmest," Ike whined. "I'm always freezing."

"The grass is always greener..." Marth mused.

Pia sipped her tea. "How about you, Pit?"

"You get to wear a cool fur dress like the Arctic angels wear all the time. I wear those silver robes, kind of like the kind Clerics in Fire Emblem wear."

"Why are we even talking about this?" Lyn asked.

"It's something to talk about," Ike said. "It's better than sitting around and drinking tea in an awkward silence."

"I like getting off-topic like this," Pia said. "If you talk about one thing for too long, you get bored."

"I just like talking," Link said.

"That's ironic." Marth laughed.

Pit checked his watch. "Pia, we should leave before it starts raining harder." The rain outside had weakened to a drizzle. "Or snowing."

Pia finished her tea. "Okay, sure. See you around." She and Pit ran out the door. Marth, Ike, Link, and Lyn watched them race each other through the wet streets.

Lyn sighed. "If the bad guys are gonna make a move, I wish they'd make one _now_. The suspense is killing me!"

_Ditto_, Lyn heard Pia say in her head. She wasn't surprised, not by the weird voice-in-head thing or by Pia's similar opinion. Ike had told her about it the day after he'd gotten back from saving Samus and Ness.

"I know," Ike agreed also.

"Well, it gives us time to make a strategy," Marth pointed out.

"It's always _strategy _with you, Marth!" Ike said. "_I _rely on power."

Marth rolled his eyes but said nothing.

"Yeah, but we need to know more about what they're actually trying to do before we can even _think _of making a strategy," Link said. "We don't even know where to begin."

"Which brings us back to me!" Lyn exclaimed. "_The suspense is killing me_!"

"I _know_," Ike agreed again.

"Well, I guess I should get going," Link said. "Wouldn't want to be trapped here in a snowstorm or something."

...

After Link left, Marth retired to his room to play with Mistie. The little orange kitten was lying on the floor, and didn't seem like her usual frisky self. Marth sensed that something was wrong.

Gently, Marth turned Mistie over onto her back. It looked like she was sick. She was mewing pitifully, like she was in pain.

All of a sudden, Mistie burst into flames. Marth leapt back and instinctively put his hand on his sword.

The flames were gone as quickly as they'd come. Marth gaped, wide-eyed, at the fiery demonic beast standing in front of him.

Mistie had grown to a height of about four feet, grown saber tooth tiger-like fangs, and now had little flames dancing around her feet and tail.

Marth's throat felt dry. "Uh... good kitty?"

Mistie walked up to Marth and nuzzled her head against his hand. Marth smiled weakly and scratched her behind her ears. His heart was beating so fast he felt dizzy.

_Okay, _Marth thought, trying to calm himself. _So this isn't just any cat. It's a large, fiery, demonic cat. I can handle that. _He took a deep breath. _Okay. Nothing else can surprise me now. _He paused in his thought. _Unless I just jinxed myself right there..._

**Well! Quite a surprise! The first part... ehhh, just disregard that. Just trying to show everyone having a nice conversation. The identity of Mistie's former owner will soon be revealed! Any guesses?**


	29. The Great Snowstorm

Pit and Pia stared out across the snow-encrusted garden.

"Hey, Pit?" Pia asked. "How come the garden's snowy when it's above the clouds?"

"It's still attached to Brawl World, and when it snows in Brawl World, it snows everywhere there that's outside, including Skyworld," Pit explained.

"Well, I like it. I can show off this awesome outfit." Pia spun around, modeling her winter wear: a winter white hourglass-shaped turtleneck dress down to her knees, white elbow-length gloves, white fur boots up to her knees, and a fluffy white hat. "And it's all in my favorite color, too."

Pit smiled. "You look nice. And it's my favorite color too."

Pia smiled. "Thanks. You look really dignified." Pit was dressed in full-length metallic silver robes made of a special fabric that retained his body heat no matter how cold it got. He also wore a silver scarf, and instead of his brown boots, he wore toeless silver ones.

"Thanks." Pit wiggled his toes. "I wonder why my feet aren't frozen?"

Pia shrugged. "Who knows. My feet are cold."

Pit laughed. "You're lucky. My feet are huge. They don't fit into anything with a closed toe."

"Are you kidding me?" Pia raised her eyebrows. "My feet are huge too!"

"Really? I didn't know that."

"Huge feet, size eleven, _always _freezing. Even when I wear closed-toe boots."

"Wow. That sucks. My feet are never cold."

"Oh, the irony!" Pia sighed. They sat there a while in a silence, but it wasn't awkward. It was warm and comfortable, despite the cold wind.

...

Link trudged through the heavy snow to his horse Epona's stable. He had laid out some extra straw for her the night before, but now that it was snowing hard, he wanted to give her a blanket too.

He and Epona had a special connection. Not only had she helped him on many occasions during his long adventure, they could also talk to each other now.

Link pulled open the stable door, and Epona trotted right over to him.

"Hey, girl," Link said softly, stroking her nose. "Were you too cold last night?"

Epona rubbed against Link's coat. _No, but I'd appreciate that blanket._

Link laughed and spread the horse blanket over her back.

_You sure have taken good care of me since that Ilia drama,_ Epona said.

Link rolled his eyes. "I don't hear you complaining."

_No, I don't mind. And I _really _wouldn't mind if you gave me a sugar cube right now._

Link sighed and reached into his pocket. He pulled out three sugar cubes and the book _Animal Farm_.

Epona smiled internally, then began prancing around the stable and tossing her mane. _Look at me! I'm Mollie! La la la la la!_

Link smirked. "I wonder which character you identify with the most."

Epona trotted back over. Link sat down on a stool and began to read. But before he started, he reminded Epona of what part they were at in the story. "Okay, so Snowball just got chased out of the farm by the angry dogs..."

...

Mistie leapt up onto Marth's lap and started purring and nuzzling him.

Marth laughed. "Glad I found you before this storm." He scratched her behind her ears. The seemingly innocent cat had made it clear that she still wished to be pampered like any normal kitten, despite her fiery little quirk.

Ike walked in with a bit of a flair in his step. Marth suspected that he felt highly of himself in his Lord outfit.

Ike smirked. "The very picture of the stately _queen _with the fluffy kitty in her lap."

Marth rolled his eyes. "Don't you go all Zelda on me," he warned. "I'll have you thrown into the dungeon."

"Sorry." Ike stared outside at the snow. "I'm in the mood for hot chocolate right now."

Marth thought. "We don't have any here," he said. "We can go to Hook and Line's place, The Drinking Fountain. They've got great hot chocolate."

"Great! HEY, LYN!" Ike yelled. "YOU WANT TO COME WITH US FOR HOT COCOA?"

"SURE!" Lyn yelled back. "YOU WANT ME TO CALL LINK AND PIT AND PIA?"

"YEAH, SURE!"

"YOU GUYS WANT TO STOP YELLING?" Marth yelled. "YOU'RE KILLING MY EARS!"

"SURE!" Ike yelled.

...

Marth, Ike, Lyn, Link, and Pia sat at a round table and waited for Pit to get back with their hot chocolate.

"This place is packed!" Pit exclaimed as he sat down and started doling out hot chocolate. "Looks like everyone's here."

"Just about," Link muttered, glancing around. "Even _Wario_."

"Is it always like this when it gets cold?" Pia asked, reaching for the whipped cream. She squirted some into her mouth before creating a crown on top of her hot chocolate.

"Well..." Marth thought. "Not really. It's never been _this _crazy."

"Yeah," Ike agreed, holding out his hand for the whipped cream. "Even the Ice Climbers showed up!"

"Yeah, it's been totally insane," Saki Amamiya said, turning around from another table. "Some of the Assist Trophies almost got snowed in."

"Seriously?" Lyn asked incredulously. "Glad I wasn't there."

Saki shrugged. "You gonna use that whipped cream?"

Ike passed it to him. "Give it back," he warned.

Saki rolled his eyes. "Don't worry."

"Who're you sitting with, Saki?" Pia asked, seeing a cup of coffee on the other side of Saki's table.

"Snake."

As if on cue, Snake returned to the table with a sugar shaker. He nodded hello to Marth, Ike, Link, Pit, Pia, and Lyn and sat down across from Saki.

"Get any news on the storm?" Saki asked.

Snake shook his head. "No. But I don't like this. Something funny's going on here."

"You think the bad guys made their move?" Pia asked.

Snake and Saki looked at her. "Huh?" Saki said.

After they explained to Saki and Snake, Saki nodded. "You guys are right. Weird things have been happening ever since _she _showed up," he said, gesturing at Pia.

Pia looked at the ground.

"That was mean," Pit said, turning to Saki. "You can't just pin everything on her."

Saki held up his hands. "Hey, hey, chill. I wasn't blaming her. Besides, stuff was happening even before she showed up, come to think of it."

Snake nodded. "Some of the camera files involving the enemies' loose activities were corrupted... and then righted for no apparent reason."

"Couldn't you, like, check the bad guys' past activities on their computers or something?" Pia asked.

"We did," Saki said. "We couldn't find anything relative to the sort."

"Something's definitely fishy in that area," Ike said. Marth nodded his agreement.

Suddenly, Zero Suit Samus threw open the door, the blustery wind and snow whooshing in. She shoved her whole body against the door and closed it, then slumped against it, panting.

The Alloy waitresses, joined by Pit, Pia, Marth, and Saki, rushed over to her while the rest of the brawlers dining there quieted down to hear what she had to say.

One of the waitresses, Cindi, brought the bedraggled bounty hunter a cup of hot tea. She accepted it gratefully, wrapping her freezing hands around the steaming mug.

"Are you okay?" Pit asked, his boyish features concerned. "You look like you've just trekked through the Arctic."

"Just about," Samus said grimly. "I don't think this is any ordinary storm. I was testing the intensity levels of the wind in the Lab, and they're completely off the charts. It's never been as bad as this before. The temperature outside is currently sixty degrees below zero. I'd advise everyone here to stay here," she added. "It's seriously getting dangerous out there. I almost got blown away a few times."

Saki cursed under his breath. "This is completely see-through. The bad guys are obviously making their next move right now."

Marth ran to the picture window. "The plan might be see-through, but it sure isn't outside."

"What do you mean?" Pia asked, looking up from comforting Samus.

Marth cupped his hands around his eyes and peered through the glass. "It's a complete white-out. You couldn't see two feet in front of you out there."

"We've gotta stop the bad guys' plan before it's too late!" Pit said.

Samus shook her head firmly. "No way in heck, Pit. It's insane out there."

"So, what?" Ike said, standing up on his chair to address the whole restaurant. "We stay here and laze around while the bad guys are obviously doing something out there?"

"But how do we know if the bad guys even _are _doing something?" Princess Zelda asked from her and Peach's table. "Look, I know the storm's bad and all, but what evidence do we have against the enemies?"

"Circumstantial evidence," Marth said patiently. "This is an unnaturally bad storm, and we're sure the bad guys have been up to something lately. Just put two and two together, here."

"If I may chime in," Samus chimed in, "this actually started out as a fairly ordinary storm, but my tests show that it escalated sharply, and by that I mean in maybe ten minutes, into what you see now."

She gestured outside at the expanse of white.

"Yeah, and the weather reports did say that a storm was on the way," Lyn pointed out. "It was smart of the bad guys to do this now, in the midst of a real... well, once-real storm."

"To sum up," Pia concluded, "the bad guys somehow generated a worse, unnatural storm to get us all snowed in in the midst of a once-real storm so we wouldn't suspect that something screwy was going on."

"Except for we did figure out that something screwy was going on," Snake said.

Pia nodded. "Yeah."

"Look, I know it's crazy, but we've gotta send someone out there," Saki said. "We can at least see what they're doing, if not prevent it."

"No! We can't—" Samus started to protest, but Link cut her off.

"I can go out," Link volunteered. "I can use my metal boots, and I'm used to all kinds of temperatures."

"You can't go out alone," Zelda said immediately.

"You're not coming," Link replied forcefully.

Marth smiled. "Hold on," he said. "I might have a solution."

Marth put his fingers in his mouth and whistled the loudest wolf-whistle anyone there had ever heard.

Immediately, Marth's little kitten, Mistie, appeared on Marth's lap in a small burst of flame.

"Whoa!" Ike exclaimed. "That was cool!"

Zelda raised her eyebrows. "A kitten? A _kitten_? That's your big, ingenious solution?"

"Not exactly," Marth said. He clapped twice. "Mistie! Up!" He commanded.

Mistie leapt off Marth's lap and erupted in flame. A second later, she emerged as an orange-striped saber-tooth tiger. A few of the girls shrieked; others applauded.

"Awww, what a cute kitty!" Peach cooed.

Marth smiled. "She showed me that lovely little secret last night... I think she can breathe fire, so that'll come in handy."

**Well? Nothing really witty to say here, although I may be updating less frequently now that winter break is almost over. Please review!**


	30. Link's Arctic Trek

"You cold, girl?" Link asked as he reached down to pet Mistie. He was glad to have her company, not only because of her warmth but because of the loneliness. It would have been much more frightening to walk through the once-familiar pathways of his current hometown without a companion. It was a creepy feeling, like he was stuck in a freezing white purgatory that went on forever.

Link sat down on a snowdrift that might have been a bench and thought. He really had no distinct itinerary. He didn't know where the enemies were, or even what they were using the snowstorm for.

After a while, Link came up with a possible solution to the latter: they could be using the storm to keep invisible, which was smart. If all four of the enemies were standing three feet in front of him, he wouldn't be able to see them.

That last thought jarred him a bit.

"Come on, girl," Link said to Mistie as he got up. "We're gonna go bust some bad guys' plans.

...

"Brrrr," Marth murmured, pulling his robes closer. "I swear it just got, like, seven degrees colder in here."

Ike, who was rubbing his hands to get warm, nodded. "I'm freezing."

Even Pit seemed to be getting cold. "Th-this can't b-be natural."

Saki hugged his arms to his chest. "C-c... cold..."

"I-I can see my breath," Pia said, her teeth chattering. "A-anyone want to donate some of their body warmth?"

Pit scooted closer to her. Pia sighed. "Thanks."

All of a sudden, the lights flickered. The gloomy chatter died down for the second time. The lights sputtered and flickered for a minute or two before dying.

There was a collective moan throughout the room.

Idly, Ike glanced around the room. His eyelids were growing heavy. Marth noticed.

"Ike... st-stay awake. Y-you could get h-hypothermia."

Ike laid his head on his arms. "I-is anyone still at home?"

Saki shook his head. "Everyone w-went out to play in the snow."

"Oh, no, the little kids!" Pia gasped, alert for a second. "W-would they be out in the s-snow or something?"

Snake turned their way and nodded gravely. "It's probable."

"Don't worry," Pit reassured her. "M-most of the kids have s-some sort of fire power. And Lucas could a-always call Charizard."

"I-i-if only w-we could d-do that," Lyn said, glancing around nervously.

It was very dark in the restaurant. The Alloys had gone into "sleep mode" to conserve energy.

"S-Samus," Marth said, his voice cracking. "W-w-what t-time is... I mean... w-what's the t-temperature in here?"

Samus checked her pocket thermometer. "Zero degrees. Wait... n-negative five."

Pia shivered, her breath coming out in puffs. She leaned closer to Pit.

Marth noticed that the room was becoming blurry. He blinked and yawned.

Pia yawned also. "Oh... oh, no... M-Marth... don't... don't fall... asleep..."

Marth's eyelids fluttered as he laid his head on his arms.

Ike's eyes were closed.

"No!" Lyn said shrilly. "Ike! W-wake up! P-please, Ike!"

Samus's eyes grew huge as she looked at her thermometer. "Thirty below."

Snake bent over Ike's sleeping form and pressed a cigar to his forehead. Ike cried out and opened his eyes.

"That's supposed to be for removing leeches, but under the circumstances..." Snake passed Ike his coffee. "Drink that, kid. It's caffeine. Helps keep you up."

Ike took a sip. "Oooh, that's bitter." He passed the cup to Marth.

"Th-thank you, Snake," Marth said politely.

"No problem, kid. Best get some sugar or something in your system. Probably what's keeping them two up," he said, gesturing at the cold-but-awake Pit and Pia.

"H-how do you know we eat s-sugar a lot?" Pit asked.

"I have my sources," Snake replied cryptically.

Pit reached into his pocket clumsily and drew out two pieces of chocolate, giving them to Marth and Ike.

"H-here... that's sugar, it'll help keep you awake."

"H-how long do you think we-we'll be stuck here?" Saki asked.

"Could be hours," Snake replied. "We have no idea what the enemies are doing with this storm."

"I-I'm guessing it's to keep us s-stuck in o-one place," Pit said. "Th-they could just want privacy."

"Yeah. Th-there's n-no g-getting out of here, that's for sure." Marth said.

"HEY!" Pia yelled suddenly, startling the whole restaurant.

"_What_?" Zelda asked irritably.

Pia blushed and shrank down a little in her seat. "U-um... didn't Link say that Wario was here? Well... where is he now?"

Everyone looked around the restaurant. Wario was nowhere to be seen.

"He m-must have slipped out wh-when we sent Link!" Marth said.

"He heard us discussing. He must have gone to warn the enemies!" Pia said.

"We've g-gotta warn _Link _before that happens!" Ike said.

"How?" Zelda asked skeptically.

"Just 'cause it's snowy d-doesn't mean that there's no c-cell phone reception," Ike said with a grin, whipping out his cell phone.

...

Luckily, when Ike's call came, Link had figured out where the enemies were: the Dark Lab, the enemies' private Lab. Normally, their activities would be monitored, but the snowstorm had conveniently blocked off their connection. Link had decided to check all of the suspicious places. He heard noise coming from the Dark Lab, so naturally the enemies had to be there.

"Mind if I tag along for the ride, girl?" Link asked. Mistie knew what to do.

Seconds later, Link was inside the Dark Lab, on the basement floor. He heard snatches of conversation as he crept up the stairs.

"... _sure _can't... so crude..."

"... be so paranoid."

Link held his breath and took one step at a time. Due to his Hylian ears, he discerned the entire conversation and the speakers when he was only halfway up the stairs.

"I mean, really? A _snowstorm_?" It was an unfamiliar girl's voice. Link noticed that she sounded a bit mechanical and deducted that she must be speaking from a computer.

"Relax, my dear," Ganondorf purred. Link's skin crawled and he gave an involuntary shudder. "It's all we needed. Besides, it is naught but a highly unnecessary precautionary measure."

"I just don't see how it's helping... like... at all." Link didn't know why, but something about the voice made him think of a preppy blonde, one who chewed gum and carried Gucci handbags and talked about people behind their backs. "Anyway, it's clear she's staying?"

_Pia_, Link thought immediately.

"Yeah," Bowser grunted. "And it doesn't look like she's much of a fighter, either. Kind of just stays on the sidelines'n attacks long-range."

"She's _not _much of a fighter," the blonde(?) girl giggled. "She's not good at strategizing, either. And she's so _weird_. She's got almost _no _friends. Just this freaky little albino, Lykei, and that suck-up commander guy, Pit. And she's hiding something _big_. And we'll get her to spill. We just have to wait until..."

Link heard the sound of a side door slamming. He knew it was the side door because it came from a different direction than the main one.

"They've caught on. They're sending a spy," Wario said, panting. "But we left at the same time. There's no way he's found anything yet."

A moment of silence. Then—

"You IDIOTS!" The girl shrieked. "I'm afraid we'll have to end this now. Good—"

"Wait!" King Dedede interjected. "Tell us what to do next!"

"Lay low," the girl growled, "until I contact you. Now, good-_bye_!"

Link heard the unmistakable sound of a T.V. screen blinking off.

"Great job, Wario," Wolf grumbled.

"Hey-hey-hey! I warned you there might be a spy."

Ganondorf sighed. "Enough of this nonsense. Relent the storm, dog."

Link heard Wolf growl, and heard a grinding sound as a lever was moved. The wind that had been howling outside immediately weakened.

Judging by the footsteps, Bowser left first, followed by Wolf, Wario, Ganondorf, and finally Dedede.

As soon as he heard the door shut, Link was on his feet. He had no idea what the conversation meant, but it did mean one thing: a piece of the puzzle.


	31. Making no Sense

"Okay. Here's what I've got," Link said as he, Marth, Ike, Pit, and Pia walked out of the Drinking Fountain and into the crisp winter air.

"All of the enemies are definitely up to something. They were talking to this girl in a video chat, and it sounded like she was directing them. She said something like... you were hiding something, Pia, and she was trying to get you to spill. And that you weren't a great fighter."

"_What_? That whole, big, ominous plan was just a big trash-Pia discussion? Agh!" Pia rolled her eyes. "Wasn't there _anything _else?"

"Yeah... she said she would get you to spill... and they just had to wait until... something. That's when Wario barged in."

"Wow. That really makes _no _sense," Ike said.

"But we did learn one important thing: our enemies are probably just pawns. They're being directed by a higher source," Marth said. "It's not them on their own."

"I wonder who it was?" Pit wondered.

"Well, actually, she mentioned you, Pit," Link remembered. "She said that you were one of Pia's two friends, along with a girl... Lykei, I think."

"So... she must be from our world, then," Pit reasoned. "Who else would know Lykei? She's not very famous."

"Yeah... Link, not that it really matters, but what could you deduct from her voice?" Pia asked.

"Actually, she sounded kind of... like a preppy blonde. Or like that stupid girl who's always the first to die in a horror movie."

"I hear ya. I love horror movies." Pia said, nodding.

"Really?" Pit said. "So do I!"

"Wow, cool! What's your favorite—"

"Okay! Okay! This is not a discussion about horror movies!" Link said. "Anyway, do you know anyone like that?"

Pit nodded. "Yeah, but that's not saying much. Blonde is the most common hair color where we come from."

"Great. So you're saying it could be anyone?"

"Well... did she sound smart or stupid?" Pia asked. "Palutena knows we've got a lot of stupid blondes... but we've got our fair share of smart ones."

"Yeah," Pit agreed. "That guy we told you about earlier, Julián, he's a blonde, and he's _really _smart."

Link cleared his throat.

"Yes?" Pia asked politely.

"I'm a blonde!" Link exploded. "Enough with the knocking blondes, okay?"

"Oh, I'm sorry," Pia said sincerely.

"S'okay," Link replied, a bit surprised at her sincerity. "Anyway, she's probably smart, because she's directing all the enemies. Unless someone else is directing her..."

"I wonder what she thinks you're hiding?" Pit wondered aloud.

"Dunno," Pia shrugged. "Maybe she's anti-Semitic."

"I thought you converted?" Pit asked.

"Well, yeah, but anti-Semites are crazy anyway."

"Uh... okay." Pit cast her a sidelong glance.

"Well... so we know that the enemies are being directed by a girl who may or may not be blonde and who may or may not be dumb." Marth said.

"Great. What a breakthrough. Now we can play in the snow!" Ike yelled before dashing for the nearest hill.

Marth, Link, Pit, and Pia looked at each other. Marth shrugged.

"Race ya to the sleds!"

"Oh! Speaking of sleds, are the little kids alright?" Pia asked no one in particular.

"Yeah," Saki said as he ran up to them, panting. "Just checked on 'em. They were all fine—holed up with Charizard in some cave playing Go Fish."

"Gods bless 'em," Pit sighed. "Sledding time."

...

"Nothing like celestial hot chocolate in an angel's house after a long, cold, snowy day," Ike said dreamily.

Marth smiled and facepalmed. "Who else?" He chuckled to himself. "Who else would _ever _say that?"

Pia raised her hand. "Me."

"Of course, Pia, of course you would." Pit rolled his eyes.

"Agh! Shut up! You sound like this emo kid in my old class. He was always all, 'Of course you would, Pia, of course,' and all rolling his eyes and stuff."

Link took a sip of hot chocolate and glanced around with a satisfied expression on his face. Everyone was so happy. And the enemies, hopefully, were laying low for a while.

"What's new with you, Marth?" Link asked. Link had never really noticed Marth before, but now he admired him more than ever, what with his tragic past and easygoing attitude. Link thought that if he was ever gone for any reason, Marth could take over as the father figure.

Marth rolled his eyes. "Funny you should ask that. I was just on this fanfiction website... man, some people have really twisted minds."

Ike mirrored Marth's movement. "Yaoi around every corner, right?"

Marth nodded. "Craploads. And some of them are just so well-written. If only those authors could use their powers for good instead of evil."

"Well, everyone's entitled to their opinion," Pit said kindly.

"There was one where you get it on in bed with every single one of us." Marth gestured around the room. "And then some. And it describes it."

"Death to all yaoi fanfiction writers," Pit said immediately. His lips twitched, and pretty soon everyone broke out in laughter.

"Ah, well... I guess anyone can write what they want." Pit said, never able to remain angry for long.

"I guess so," Pia said grudgingly.

Link coughed at looked at Pia knowingly. Pia shrugged.

All of a sudden, Lyn burst into Pit and Pia's cottage. "Guess what."

"What?" Ike asked tentatively.

"Master Hand and Crazy Hand are calling a meeting. We all have to meet in the Brawlference Room in ten minutes."

"Are you kidding me?" Pia asked incredulously. "Why?"

Lyn shrugged. "I hear someone let slip that we suspected the bad guys."

"But... but we have proof!" Pia said angrily.

"Um, Pia," Marth said nervously. "Uh... you might want to calm down before we go."

"Why?" Pia asked indignantly. "I have a right to my opinion!"

"Uh, when speaking to Master and Crazy, no, you don't, actually."

Pia huffed. "Whatever. Let's go."

...

**"All right. We've been hearing rumors," **Master Hand began. **"Rumors that **_**you **_**think that your enemies are up to something."**

** "Yeah, yeah! Enemies up to something!" **Crazy Hand added.

**"We are very disappointed in you," **Master Hand said condescendingly. **"It's wrong to stereotype people based on past faults. You can't just blame the enemies if something's gone wrong."**

At this, Pia, Link, Zelda, Mario, Peach, Fox, Falco and Meta Knight began stewing silently in their seats.

**"This was just a snowstorm," **Master Hand went on.

**"Yeah, yeah! Just a snowstorm!" **Crazy chimed in.

**"You even blamed your enemies for something as simple as a snowstorm!"**

"Just a snowstorm?" Pia cut in. "IT WAS OVER 9,000!"

She received smatters of nervous laughter.

**"SILENCE!" **Master Hand boomed. **"Foolish girl!"**

Peach timidly raised her hand. "Um, if I may, sir..."

**"Yes?" **Master Hand acknowledged her.

"I believe Link has some evidence to present about the snowstorm."

**"All right. Go ahead."**

"_What_?" Pia whispered to Pit furiously. "How come he doesn't get mad at _her_?"

"They both totally favor all the veterans," Pit whispered back.

"Ugh!" Pit knew Pia well enough to know that she would blow at any second.

"-so that's why we're now sure that the enemies are up to something." Link finished.

**"I'm sorry, but you have no solid evidence. We can't simply believe your word of mouth," **Master Hand said, not feeling sorry at all.

"Well, he favors them over us newbies," Pit whispered to Pia again, "but they really don't like any of us."

"All right, that's it!" Pia said indignantly in a shrill voice. "Why are you so _stupid_? We _have _evidence! Link is trustworthy! And you should _really _pay more attention to what the _enemies _are doing than to what _we're _doing!"

Complete silence. Then:

**"All of you. Go. Except for **_**her**_**."**

...

Pit, Marth, Ike, Link, and Lyn waited nervously outside the Brawlference Room for Pia to get out. When she finally did, she was shaking like a leaf and looked dangerously close to tears.

"What'd they do to you?" Pit asked soothingly.

"Oh, you know... just y-yelled at me and banned me from b-brawling for a week."

"I'm sorry," Pit said. Pia threw her arms around him, and he didn't try to resist. Despite her tough persona, Pia was pretty sensitive when it came to being reprimanded.

**Awww. Poor Pia. But also awesome because she gets a Pit-hug! Reviews very much appreciated!**


	32. Surprise, Marth!

When Marth got home, he was seething with anger. He was angry for Pia; it wasn't her fault the Hands were stupid. He still remembered how he'd felt when he first arrived in Melee World and realized that the supreme rulers of this world were two giant white hands, one of which was highly unbalanced in the mind.

Thinking of Melee made Marth think of Roy. He hadn't seen him face-to-face in about two years now. He was thinking of sending him a text message when Mistie jumped onto his lap, purring.

"Hey, girl," Marth said softly. "I was just thinking of my old friend. His name's Roy. I think you'd like him. He's got a pretty fiery personality."

Mistie meowed. Marth scratched her behind her ears. "I'm talking to a cat," he murmured. "I'm talking to a _cat_."

Marth sighed. "Well, as long as I'm _talking _to you, I might as well ask who your owner was-or is, I guess."

Mistie meowed again. But it was a strange meow. It was one, long, earsplitting unbroken note. Marth felt a bit worried.

All of a sudden, a flash of blinding light filled Marth's room. He covered his eyes in agony.

After only a second, the light faded. Marth cautiously removed his hands from his eyes.

Mistie had transformed, but that wasn't all.

The Angel of Death had appeared in Marth's room.

...

Samael's handsome features twisted in a cruel smile. "Glad to see me?"

"I-I-I-"

"Hmmm. Not so talkative now, are you?"

Marth vividly remembered his and Samael's first meeting. Marth and Pit had been trying to rescue Ike from his premature and mysterious death. To put things nicely, Marth and Samael hadn't exactly hit it off. In fact, Samael hated Marth's guts so much that he stole Marth's voice-and _forgot _to give it back. But the creepy thing was that Ike and Pit didn't seem to remember the incident at all. In fact, no one in Brawl World even remembered the incident of Ike's death-except for Marth. Since then, many a time had Marth woken up from a nightmare, remembering nothing but Samael's cruel laughter.

Samael ran his fingers through Mistie's fur. "It seems that you've come across my old... acquaintance, my kitten: Prince Marth of Altea. May I ask why you decided to let him live?"

Mistie meowed a response.

"I see. You like him, hm?"

Mistie purred.

Samael glared at Marth in a way that made Marth's heart pound like it never had before.

"Feel lucky that that heart's still beating, princeling," Samael hissed. "If she didn't like you, you'd be dead before you could even scream. But she does like you. So you'd better take some damn good care of her. Hear me?"

Speechless with fear, Marth nodded.

"Excellent... simply excellent. Do what you want with him, my pet."

Samael looked at Mistie fondly before vanishing in another flash of blinding light.

When Marth uncovered his eyes again, Mistie was in her kitten form again, staring up at him with her big orange kitty eyes.

Marth inhaled shakily. "Well. This complicates things."

"What complicates things?" Ike asked from the doorway.

Marth opened his mouth, then shook his head. "Nothing, Ike... nothing at all. None of your concern, at least not for a very long time."

Ike raised his eyebrows. "You are so _weird _sometimes," he grumbled before walking away.

Marth spent the rest of the afternoon being Mistie's slave. Even if she was already content, he didn't want to take any chances.

You really can't take any chances when you've accidentally adopted a cat that used to belong to the uber-powerful Angel of Death, especially when said Angel of Death hates your guts.

**THERE! MISTIE'S OWNER! DONE! HOPING FOR INTERESTING REVIEWS!**


	33. Pit and Pia Discuss

Pit and Pia sat across from each other at the small table in their cottage. Their faces were grim.

"With what we're working with, she's definitely from Skyworld," Pit said.

Pia nodded. "I'm positive. Not positive she's blonde, but whatever."

"Well, I dunno... we've got some pretty notorious blondes. D'you have any guesses?"

Pia wrinkled her nose. "Shoshanna Benedict? Zedekiah Judian's girlfriend?"

"Why her?"

Pia shrugged. "Well, she's blonde, and I never really liked her all that much."

"So we're working with the blonde assumption, then?"

"Yeah. If it's disproved, we can just start over."

"Well, we know a heck of a lot of blondes. Where do we start?"

"Let's go through a mental list first. Then we can maybe contact one of our friends back home."

Pia looked away suddenly. "Um, Pit... speaking of back home. I need to tell you something."

Pit leaned in closer. "What's up?"

...

"Well," Pit said after Pia explained to him how she had been sent here to investigate the brewing trouble in Skyworld, Fire Emblem World, and Hyrule. "That's... very interesting."

"Yeah."

"And you've already told Marth and Ike and Link?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I've got to say, I'm a bit annoyed that you didn't tell me earlier."

"I'm sorry. I was planning to, but... it slipped my mind."

"Apology accepted. Anyhoo, that means that the perpetrator could be in any of the three Worlds, right?"

"No. Remember? She mentioned Lykei, and she seemed to know me."

"Oh, right. What is it she thinks you're hiding, anyway?"

"Probably the reason I came here," Pia guessed. "I'm not hiding anything else." _Except for my crush on you,_ she thought silently. _And they wouldn't are about that._

"But that's not that important, is it?"

"It actually is. That's why I'm not telling everyone. "We don't want whoever it is doing this to know we're onto them."

"Ahhh. That makes sense."

"Anyway, back to our suspects list... Shoshanna we've got... how about the Athegrays?"

"Ahnabella, Archanadyte, and Amelekite? No... the whole reason Link thought she was a blonde was that she _sounded _blonde. The Athegrays don't sound blonde."

"How can you _sound _blonde?" Pia muttered. "But yeah, I know what you mean. They're so... businesslike. And they're not the type of girls to do something like that. They're too smart."

"Well, keep in mind that whoever this person is has the Brawl World enemies working for her. Ganondorf's probably the smartest one of them, and that's saying something."

"Think she's in cahoots with Master and Crazy?"

Pit shook his head. "It's possible, but not probable."

"Drat. The Athegrays out... Pit, I don't know many blondes; I'm Jewish, we're mostly dark-haired."

"I thought you converted?"

"I converted back just before I left. Greek just doesn't work for me. I'm such a Jew."

"Hmmm..." Pit rested his chin on his hand to think. "There is one girl who I'd suspect... but I never thought she was all that smart."

"Who?" Pia asked eagerly.

"Her name's Lilith Stalitler. She's very, very blonde. Stereotypical, I mean. She's really stuck-up. Really popular. I just couldn't see a girl like that being the operator of... well, an evil operation. I mean, she's _mean_, just not..."

"Evil?" Pia supplied.

"Yeah, that's it. But she could be a suspect."

Pia yawned. "Shoshanna and Lilith? And they're both probable? Is that enough for one night? Please say yes. I'm very tired."

Pit laughed. "You said it. Let's sleep on it."

**Hey, guess what! Foreshadowing is back! XD And be sure to check out Chapter 13! Please also R&R!**


	34. Anger

**Small note: when I was imagining Juliàn's character, he had a very heavy accent. It's hard to write a Mexican accent, so when Juliàn's talking, please imagine him with a very heavy accent.**

Marth seemed glum the next morning when the five regrouped at a breakfast buffet to discuss Pit and Pia's findings.

"...so those are our suspects," Pit finished.

"Okay... two suspects? You only know two blondes?" Marth asked dubiously.

"Well, no, but there are some that we wouldn't _dream _of-"

"There. That's your problem. Never say that. Anyone could betray you, at any time."

"Yeah, but Marth, these are our _prime _suspects. Not _every single _blonde we know. Besides, I don't know many blondes," Pia said.

"Hmmm. Lilith... Stalitler, huh?" Ike said after swallowing some scrambled eggs. "And Shoshanna Benedict?"

"I think we have to leave it up to Pit and Pia for suspects, guys," Link said, taking a bite of cinnamon toast. "Unless she's some random girl who _none _of us knows, she's from Skyworld, right?"

"Yeah, because she mentioned Lykei. And even if we don't know her... we can ask some of our friends to sneak around a bit." Pia suggested.

"Hey, yeah! I never thought of that!" Pit said. "We could send Juliàn... he's a messenger. No one would suspect anything."

"Isn't Juliàn prejudiced?" Marth said uneasily.

"Well, yeah... but only against humans. And he won't be seeing you." Although Pia sounded uneasy too.

"Hmph. I'm used to prejudice, though," Ike said, taking a piece of Link's toast. "Mmmm... sugar toast."

Marth smiled and spread butter on a roll.

"This is a good breakfast place, by the way," Pia remarked. "What's it called?"

"The Cafè Zeto, I think," Marth replied. "Yeah, it's the best. Hook, Line, and Sinker don't own it, either."

"Do you think we should tell anyone else about this?" Pit asked in a low voice. "I know you're not supposed to tell everyone, Pia, but maybe we should tell a _few _others."

"Lyn," Ike said immediately, momentarily forgetting that they had had a falling-out. "Oh, yeah... well, even if we're not together, we should tell her."

"Yeah, definitely," Marth agreed. "How about Saki?"

"Saki Amamiya? Yeah, I guess. He seems trustworthy." Link said.

"What about Saki Amamiya?" An aloof voice said. Zelda sat down at their table.

"Um..." Pit picked at his pancakes.

"Guys. She's my girlfriend. We can tell her."

"Tell me _what_, Link?" Zelda whined. "You'd tell_ Saki Amamiya_ and not me?"

"What's wrong with Saki?" Marth said defensively.

"He's, like, some sort of weird demon monster or something. I was playing his game the other day."

"_Link's _some sort of weird demon monster half the time," Pia pointed out. Link made that face people make when they're thinking, _WHAT?_

"Well, yeah, but... he's _Link_. It's okay for him."

Pia looked at Zelda with incredulity. "Why are you so _stupid_?"

The table fell silent.

"Pia," Pit said quietly. "You _really _need to stop asking people why they're stupid."

"Why? They deserve it!"

Zelda stood up and marched away from their table in a huff.

Link didn't meet Pia's eyes.

"Why are you even still with her?" Pia asked Link, ignoring his anger. "She's now been openly disrespectful to _two _of your friends!"

"I could say the same about you," Link shot back.

"Yeah, except for hers were unprecedented. Mine weren't. Marth and Saki never did anything bad to _her_."

"Seriously, Link," Pit said. "It's like she's making you choose between us and her."

"What is this, a video game or a soap opera?" Marth muttered into his plate. Everyone attempted to hold in their giggles. "I mean, seriously! First Ike and Lyn, and now Link and Zelda... will the madness never end?" He shouted the last part in mad-scientist sort of way and tore at his hair.

Despite himself, Link smiled. "Hey... you know, Zel can be sweet. She can just get so... weird sometimes."

"Tell me, Link," Marth said seriously. "If it wasn't a canon for you to marry her... would you have?"

"Well, it was canon, so it doesn't matter. It was love at first sight."

"Awww." Pia said. "Well, tell her I'm sorry, because I am. It was a mean thing to say."

"Yeah, it was."

Pia blushed. She _was _sorry about one-upping Zelda-she had a problem with sticking her nose where it didn't belong and acting on impulse, especially when sticking up for her friends-but what was really scaring her was Link getting mad at her.

"And I'm sorry if I offended you, Link," Pia mumbled.

"S'okay." But Link still didn't meet her gaze.

"Pit," Pia said quietly. "Maybe you should go talk to Juliàn now."

"Why me and not you?"

"You know him better, and you're higher-ranked than me. You could convince him more easily."

"Okay." Pit got up. "I'll tell you guys when I get back, alright?"

"Sure," Ike said. "Hey, Marth, come with me to tell Lyn?"

Marth shot a glance at Pia. If they left, she would be alone with Link.

Pia gestured at them to leave.

_Are you sure? _Marth mouthed. Pia nodded and gestured more vigorously for them to leave. Marth shrugged and left with Ike.

Pia took a deep breath. She could have just left right then and there, but that would mean ending things on a bad note. And it was scary to have Link mad at her.

"Link," she started. "I'm really sorry."

"Just drop it, okay?" Link said sharply, finally looking up to glare at her.

"No, I won't! You're mad, and I know it."

"I'm not mad," Link muttered.

Pia sighed. "I may be an idiot," she said slowly, looking him straight in his icy blue eyes. "But I'm not stupid."

Link's face cracked in a grin. Pia smiled also.

"I'm sorry. I'm a very impulsive person. I do that a lot. I had no right, and it was especially rude with you right there." She inhaled deeply. "So... I'm sorry." She let her breath out.

Link pursed his lips and looked away from her. "It _was _rude to openly insult my girlfriend while I was sitting right here," he said. "If you were a guy, I would have hit you. But I'm grateful that you stuck it out and apologized. Thank you. And I forgive you, but you'll have to apologize to her yourself."

Pia sighed. "Okay," she said glumly. She started to get up.

"Wait!"

"What?"

"You'd just... agree like that? No arguing?"

Pia shrugged. "Beggars can't be choosers. You just forgave me. You didn't have to, but you did. You think I'm going to push my luck about apologizing to your girlfriend?"

Link smiled. "You don't have to if you don't want to."

"I think I will." She paused. "It's the right thing to do."

...

Pit sighed as he walked through one of the main roads of his old home. Quite a few people had already recognized him, smiled and waved. Pit returned their gestures, and wished he could stop and talk, but he had no time.

As he passed into the Roman division of the pagan quarter of Skyworld, Pit still felt at home even though he was Greek. Not as many people knew him here, but they knew who he was.

As he knocked on Juliàn's door, Pit smiled. Juliàn Castrejana was a strange character. His father had been very Mexican, with a heavy accent and typical Mexican features. His mother, however, had been a blonde with blue eyes. Somehow, Juliàn and his siblings had all inherited their mother's blonde hair and blue eyes, but were raised as Mexicans. All of the Castrejanas had an odd combination of blonde hair, blue eyes, tan skin, heavy Mexican accents, and a kooky sense of humor.

When Juliàn opened the door, Pit smiled and greeted him politely. "Hola, Juliàn. Nice to see you again."

Juliàn regarded him coldly, with a dark expression Pit had never before seen on his smiling, mischievious face. "What do you want, Pit?" He demanded, pronouncing Pit's name "Pete."

Pit's smile faltered. "I-I wanted to ask you a favor."

"Well, go on and ask eet. I haven't got all day."

"I want you to... um... put a tail on a few people. Lilith Stalitler and Shoshanna Benedict."

Juliàn looked at Pit with a disgusted expression. "You theenk I am some sort of stalker? Why would I do such a thing?"

Pit was shocked. In the old days, Juliàn would have responded to such a request with glee. "Juliàn... is something wrong? You seem different..."

"You seem different to, Pit. I always thought you were a rule-follower. But now... you ask me to do these... these _cosas locas_!"

Pit suddenly noticed how quiet Juliàn's house seemed. Normally, Juliàn's younger siblings were everywhere. "Juliàn... where are your siblings?"

"Inside. _Por què_?"

"Well... usually they're being so... loud. Rambunctious. That's the word."

Juliàn turned and yelled into the house. "Josè, Julio, Juan, Juanita, Julieta! Come here now!"

Five little blond heads poked out of the house. Pit smiled at them, but only little Juanita smiled back.

"_Mi hermano es loco," _Julieta whispered to Pit.

Pit gaped at the sad little girl. "What? What do you mean?"

"Get back inside! All of you!" Juliàn yelled. His siblings shrank back inside. "Pit. You leave now." Juliàn's blue eyes were filled with the most anger than Pit had ever seen, not just on Juliàn, but on anyone.

"Wait, Juliàn... I thought you had six."

"Seex what?"

"Six siblings." Pit looked around. "Where is Juliana?" Juliana was Juliàn's oldest little sister. She was his favorite.

Juliàn's angry blue eyes filled with tears. "Get out. Now." He shut the door.

"Juliàn," Pit whispered. "_Què haciste_?"

**Okay, translation time! Cosas locas=crazy things. Por que=why? Mi hermano es loco=my brother is crazy. Que haciste=what have you done? ... I hope I got the grammar right. This is only my second year of Spanish. Anyway... hmmm... what happened to little Juliana (pronounced Hoo-lee-ahn-ah), and why is fun-loving Juliàn being so cold to his old friend? Reviews very much appreciated! P.S.: Castrejana is pronounced Cass-trey-hana, and Julieta is pronounced Hoo-lee-et-ah. That's just my weird mind speaking, but I want my names to be pronounced right! XD**


	35. Second Attempt

"He shut the door in your face?" Pia asked Pit incredulously. He had managed to catch her and Link before she went off to apologize to Zelda.

"Yeah. And Juliana was missing, too."

Link frowned. "Do you think he's being manipulated by the girl?"

"Probably something like that," Pit agreed.

"And she's probably holding Juliana hostage," Pia added. "I wonder if any of this has to do with Juliàn's recent descent into prejudice?"

"Yeah, I bet it does," Pit said. The three sat down on a bench. "This is getting serious, guys. And Link, just to give you an idea of how serious this is... imagine Juliàn as Ike, just as a Mexican angel with blonde hair and six little brothers and sisters."

Link stayed quiet for a minute. "Wow," he murmured. "And he was all... angry?"

"Yeah. It was scary."

"Pit," Pia said suddenly. "How long has it been since you've seen Juliàn?"

"Two years... why?"

"A lot can happen in two years," Pia said quietly. "Who knows how many friends have gone _loca _like that?"

"We can try asking someone else," Pit suggested. "Sasha or Isaiah."

"Who are they?" Link asked.

"Oh, yeah, I explained that to Marth, not you. Sasha's my best friend, and Isaiah's a friend of mine who happens to be Jewish."

"I could go talk to Isaiah," Pia offered. "He visits the other quarters more than Sasha, and he could scope out Shoshanna more easily."

"You do that, P," Pit said. "Link, we should go talk to Marth and Ike."

...

Pia was more nervous than Pit had been when she was walking through the streets of Skyworld now that she knew about Juliàn's strange actions. It had been bad enough when he became prejudiced, but this was something else.

Pia took a deep breath before knocking on Isaiah's door. She was immensely relieved when he smiled at her.

"Hi, Pia! What's up?" Isaiah asked happily. "I thought you went to live with Pit in that video game World."

Pia smiled weakly. "Hey, 'Saiah. Look, I need your help with something."

"Shoot."

Pia quickly explained to him about the brewing trouble and the blonde girl. Like her and Pit, Isaiah seemed very concerned about Juliàn.

"So you want me to investigate Shoshanna and Lilith?" Isaiah asked. "Sure thing. I'll report back to you as soon as I can."

Pia smiled. "Thanks, Isaiah. We really appreciate it."

...

"Whew! So Isaiah's still okay?" Pit asked happily.

"Yep. He's just the same as always."

"Great. Now we've got our suspects tailed."

"We told Lyn about it, and Link told Zelda," Marth said.

"Now we can relax a bit... for the moment," Link said cautiously.

"_I _can't. I'm going to go apologize to Zelda," Pia said bravely. "Wish me luck."

"Good luck!" Marth called loudly.

...

"Um, hi," Pia said awkwardly as Zelda opened the door.

"Hi," Zelda said, sounding surprised. "What's up?"

"I... I wanted to apologize about earlier. You know, about calling you stupid."

Zelda waved her hand at Pia. "Oh, don't worry about it. I take stuff like that all the time."

"But could you start being a little nicer to Marth and Saki?" Pia asked hopefully.

"I'll try. Emphasis on 'try.'"

**A bit of a filler, but this is a double update. Stay tuned!**


	36. Drawing Boards

After Pia apologized to Zelda, she hurried back to the Drinking Fountain to discuss with Pit, Link, Marth, Ike, and Lyn.

"So, whoever that blonde girl is is somehow responsible for the brewing trouble stuff, Juliàn's attitude, and creating prejudice?" Lyn asked while stirring her straw around in her milkshake.

Link nodded. "The last one's tentative, but we've compared records. Pia?"

Pia turned to Lyn. "We realized that the beginning of the escalated prejudice angels now harbor for humans started around the same time as the trouble started brewing, which was around a year and a half ago."

"Super Smash Bros. Brawl had already been created at the time, so we're not blaming that," Pit cut in.

"And if that girl started the trouble, and she comes from Skyworld, we can infer that she also fueled the prejudice," Pia finished.

Marth stirred his smoothie, looking troubled. "It's a good hypothesis, but..."

"But what?" Pit asked.

"_All _of the theories are sort of tentative. What is _everything _is proven wrong? What if the girl isn't even from Skyworld... or what if she isn't even real? What if it's just a big... misunderstanding? The thing is, it's like we're stacking big blocks on top of one fragile one. If the fragile one at the bottom breaks... it's back to the drawing board. I know it sounds like a conspiracy or something, but... we can't be too careful."

"As much as I hate to admit it, Marth's right," Pia said dejectedly. "We need to prepare ourselves to for being disproved."

"We can still lean on the theory," Ike argued. "We just can't get into action yet. You've got that guy Isaiah investigating the blondes, right?"

"Yeah."

"Well, until he finds something big, we can relax. We-"

Ike was cut off by a small "ahem" sound behind him. Ike's mouth fell open.

A gorgeous girl was standing there. She had a great figure-big chest, skinny legs, the works. She wore a floaty, gossamer, tank-top sort of thing paired with a long, swishy white skirt with a thigh-high slit, with delicate sandals underneath. Her eyes were blue and bright, with long lashes, and she wore a gold circlet around her hair, which was wavy and wheat-colored and fell down to her ankles.

She was as blonde as a blonde angel could be.

"Hi, Pit. Hi, Pia," she said energetically. "May I sit down?"

"Sure," Pia said a tad grudgingly.

"Hey, thanks!" The girl sat down next to the still-open-mouthed Ike. Lyn discreetly rolled her eyes.

"Um, this is Ike, Marth, Lyn, and Link," Pit introduced the girl. "Guys, this is Lilith Stalitler."

"Oh, really, call me Lilly!" Lilith insisted.

"So what brings you here?" Pia said in a businesslike tone.

"Not what, who. Isaiah Pilotski."

"Oh, really?" Pit asked.

"Really really. He said that he had stuff to do, so he sent me here to tell you guys that I am _not _involved."

"Involved in what?"

"This brewing trouble stuff." Lilith's eyes sparkled at Pit in a way that would make lesser men helpless with love. "It's probably all a big misunderstanding. I would never get involved with something like that. I've got better things to do with my time."

"Oh." Pit blushed. "Ah... I'm sorry. It's just 'cause... we saw this blonde girl... on this thing, and..."

Lilith laughed. "Oh, Pit. It's okay." Then she turned to Ike, who was still staring at her, but who had finally managed to close his mouth.

"You're cute," she said, and kissed him. Full on the lips.

Lyn took a deep breath. "Excuse me," she said in a very calm voice. "But he's with someone right now." Unfortunately, Lyn, like Ike, had forgotten that they were broken up.

"Oh, really?" Lilith asked, sounding genuinely interested. "Who?"

Luckily for Lyn, Pia was a very good liar, and also had a problem with sticking her nose into other peoples' business. "Her name's Aimee," she said. "She's a merchant. World-famous. She has _fabulous _products. And she can warm up a cold room, if you know what I mean." Pia winked.

"Oh. Well, tell her I couldn't resist. I'll see you all around." Lilith left, walking slowly like a runway model.

"Aimee?" Ike said incredulously. "Of all people... _Aimee_?"

"Well, I was thinking of Elincia at first, but she's with Geoffrey, right?" Pia asked coolly.

"Uh, uh, yeah," Ike stammered. "But, Lyn, I'm not really in a relationship..."

"Ike. You are a fool." Marth said simply.

"Wh-oh."

Lyn's face was bright red. Ike smiled.

"Can't resist the old Ike charm, eh?" Ike waggled his eyebrows at her.

"Shut up, Ike."

"Enough love drama! Now we know it wasn't Lilith," Link said. "Now we've only got one suspect, and that's Shoshanna Benedict."

"And if it isn't her...?" Marth pushed.

Link sighed. "Then it's back to the drawing board."

**Uh-oh! Love drama, drawing boards... oh my! R&R plz!**


	37. Spreading the Word Through Technology

**Shalom: hello, goodbye, peace. L'hitraot: either "see you later" or "goodbye" or something like that. I did some research, though! At least I knew the words!**

Pia opened the e-mail from Isaiah. With Pit looking over her shoulder, she read:

_Shalom, guys!_

_I'm sory if i wasnt supossed to tell Lilith about th trouble. Ive been tailing Sho and it doesnt look like shes up to anthing suspishus. Im sory i coudnt come in person, but i told you about my quest rite Pia? Sho and Lil r defenately out. Ill try to investigate more blonds ok?_

_L'hitraot, Isaiah._

Pia sighed. "His spelling hasn't improved much. It's my fault he told Lilith about the trouble. I forgot to tell him to keep it a secret. It looks like Shoshanna doesn't know about it, though."

"Lilith's still a suspect. She could be lying or unknowingly being an accomplice. Sho... she's more likely, I'd say. She's sneakier than Lilith."

"Let's go tell the others."

...

Marth sat in his room, texting. Mistie was crawling all over him, but he seemed completely oblivious.

"Hey, what's up?" Ike asked, poking his head into Marth's room.

"Texting Roy. I'm gonna video chat with him."

"Oh. Okay." Ike and Roy weren't rivals, but they weren't ever going to be true friends. That was just how it worked.

"You want to join?"

"Sure, I'll talk." Ike sat down next to Marth on the bed. Roy's face appeared on Marth's computer screen.

"Hi, guys! What's new?" Roy smiled.

"A lot. There's a girl named Pia here-she came from Angel Land to tell us about brewing trouble in the Worlds." Marth hoped that Pia wouldn't mind him telling Roy about the trouble.

Roy's still-childish face turned solemn. "In Fire Emblem World, you mean?"

"Including it. Yeah."

Roy looked away for a second. "Stuff's been happening here, Marth. Ena's baby was kidnapped, but we managed to get him back fast. Soren's super depressed, but that's normal, I guess. And Lethe's come over here more than once because of racism troubles." Roy paused. "I've been trying to get into contact with some of my old friends with Elibe, but according to Wolt, things are doing badly there too. Ostia certainly was never doing well... Ray seems to be slipping into darkness... Sophia is getting more and more distant... but you know what's weird?"

"What?" Marth and Ike asked at the same time.

"The creepy loner guys like Karel and Rath and Jaffar-you know they stopped aging after _Blazing Sword_-they don't seem to be affected by all this... this brewing trouble. "

"Well, Jaffar's got a wife and two kids," Marth pointed out. Roy acknowledged this with a small shrug.

"It seems like the weaker-willed people are getting swayed into darkness or something," Ike said.

"Something like that. It seems to be getting... tainted here or something. Sure, at first glance, everything's fine, but then you look a little closer. You see Shinon snap at Rolf, you see Oscar get testy with Kieran... Mia and Rhys seem fine, thank Elimine... Soren seems more depressed than usual."

"What about Mist?" Ike asked worriedly, concerned about his happy little sister.

Roy winced. "Boyd... Boyd seems to get annoyed by her a bit. And like I said, it's just been little things at first, but it's just so... wrong. And it could get worse."

"It very well might," Marth said grimly. "So far, we've just vaguely been talking about 'brewing trouble...' now we know what it is. We should ask Link to contact someone in Hyrule, and Roy, you check with some Lords who aren't involved with Super Smash Bros."

"Will do." Roy signed off and Marth's computer screen went blank.

Marth closed his laptop and looked at Ike. "That's... perfect."

"Uh... what?"

"It's exactly what you'd imagine to be happening in the troubled Worlds. _Brewing _trouble... not exactly cause for international alarm, just... _brewing_. Getting ready."

"Someone wants the characters of those very important Worlds to fall under his or her control," Ike said wisely.

"You're right, Ike. Angel Land, Hyrule, and Fire Emblem World are all very prominent Worlds. At least in the Smash Bros. universe."

"And things have been happening here, too. Even before Pia came."

"Yeah. Pia's right-trouble _is _brewing."

Ike was quiet for a while. "I think that Lilith chick is lying," Ike said. "Her alibi was crap."

Marth nodded. "She definitely knows something. Do you think she's in league with Shoshanna?"

"Not sure. It's a bit too early to jump to conclusions like that-"

All of a sudden, a video chat request came up on Marth's computer.

"Is it Roy?" Ike asked.

Marth shook his head. "No... Roy's screen name is _BlazingHero15_. This is _PrinceofLight776_."

"Who's that?" Ike asked.

"Dunno. I'm accepting."

A young man with long blue hair tied back in a ponytail appeared on Marth's screen.

"Whoa!" Marth exclaimed. "Celice? Celice Baldos Chalphy?

Ike gasped. "You mean _the _Celice Baldos Chalphy who I've never heard of?"

"Ike, he's the Lord of Jugdral. You know, Genealogy?"

"Oh yeah, that guy."

Celice smiled. "That's me."

"Wow! Did Roy tell you-"

Celice nodded solemnly. "Yeah, he did. It's true-this trouble you speak of is spreading all around Fire Emblem World. Patty's been stealing a lot more than usual. The people of Lenster are getting... I can't explain it, but they seem unhappy with Leaf."

"I thought Leaf wasn't their leader?" Marth said.

"No, no-he just didn't accept the title of "king." He's still Prince Leaf. He doesn't seem to be ruling as well as usual. And Yuria... Yuria's been... zoning out, I guess you'd call it. More and more frequently. But you know who seems unaffected?"

"Aless, right?" Marth guessed.

"How'd you know?"

"Aless has a very strong will. Leaf, Patty, and Yuria have much weaker wills-no offense intended, but it looks like the weaker-willed people are getting corrupted faster."

Celice's face took on a somber expression. "Do you have any suspects as to who's causing this?"

"Yeah." Marth hesitated-did Lilith still count? "Um... two. These girls from Angel Land."

"Hmmm. I'll look into this-if it's happening in Tellius, Elibe, and Jugdral, there's a good chance it's happening everywhere."

"Unfortunately, Celice," Marth said grimly, "I think you're right."

**Reminder: Roy is lodging in Tellius. Celice is the guy from **_**Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War**_**, which was mentioned briefly earlier. I'm sorry; I couldn't resist putting him in. Besides, it makes for a new insight! This stain of corruption-or brewing trouble-is spreading to continents that aren't even affected by Super Smash Bros.! This is getting serious! Please R&R!**


	38. Recap and Domination

"You talked with Celice?" Pia screeched as Marth and Ike revealed to her, Pit, Link, and Lyn the conversation that had gone on between them, Roy, and Celice.

"Um, yeah..." Ike said cautiously, moving a little bit farther away from Pia.

"I know. He's a hottie, isn't he?" Lyn said to Pia.

Pia nodded energetically. "Totally. Anyway, so now we know the specific things that're going on in the Worlds. Now what?"

Link thought for a second. "Well, it's helpful, but it's really just side information."

Pit nodded. "Yeah. It helps to know what's going on exactly, but it doesn't bring us any closer to who the perpetrator is."

"Yeah, but now we know what their goal could be," Marth pointed out. "It looks like they're trying to sway those Worlds into bad habits, and possibly get them to join forces."

"You know, it probably all comes down to world domination," Pia said. "I mean, once you've got those Worlds under your control, you pretty much control the Smash universe, which is a big step. Which would mean not only world domination-it would mean _universe _domination."

"It's like the Subspace Emissary all over again," Link murmured.

"All right. Let's make a list," Lyn suggested. "The enemies' goals, in step order."

"Step 1: collect money." Ike said.

"WHAT?" Everyone else yelled.

"You can't achieve world domination without money," Ike said in a "duh" tone of voice.

Marth rolled his eyes. "Step 1: instigate trouble in Hyrule, Angel Land, Smash World, and Fire Emblem World."

"Step 2: convince those now-corrupted Worlds to join forces with the enemies," Link said.

"Step 3: use the power from those Worlds to conquer the rest of the video game universe and achieve world domination," Pia finished glumly.

"Universe domination," Pit corrected.

"Whatever."

"Wow. So how can we stop that?" Lyn asked.

"We need to somehow stop the corruption in the Worlds from spreading, and we also need to find out who's behind all this," Link said.

Pia cleared her throat. "I have an idea."

"The floor is yours," Pit declared.

"We have some suspects as to who the girl directing the enemies here was, but she could not be the main mastermind. We need to make a list of suspects as to who the mastermind him or herself could be."

"And that person is probably from any of the three Worlds," Pit chimed in. "That's going to be harder than a blonde girl from Angel Land."

"We need more time to think about that. Let's sleep on it," Ike suggested.

**What happened to all my reviewers? :-( Anyway, hoping this chapter was short but significant. PLEASE REVIEW! Thank you XD**


	39. Shoshanna's Confession

**Okay. You might want to refresh your memory of Pit's story by reading Chapter... 17, I think? It's called "Pit's Story." Anyway, I have a lot on my plate right now, so this is short. The next one's a doozy, though, so be prepared. **

Ike's idea to "sleep on it" turned out to be a very good idea indeed.

Pit was sleeping fitfully. His dreams were full of images of his beloved homeland becoming dark and tainted, of his old friends like Sasha and Juliàn becoming cold and distant, and of the universe as a whole coming apart, when he was awakened from his shallow sleep by someone shaking his shoulder roughly.

"Pit! Pit!" A frightened-sounding voice whispered urgently.

"Uhhh... Pia?" Pit asked drowsily, his eyes flickering open.

"No, Pit. It's Shoshanna... Shoshanna Benedict."

Pit's eyes snapped open. He hadn't been very good friends with Shoshanna-they were barely even acquaintances-but he could tell that something was wrong. She looked terrible. Her blonde ponytail, which was usually meticulously groomed and placed on the crown of her head, seemed limp and messy. The short strands that escaped it stuck to her pale, sweaty face. Her hazel eyes darted around the room nervously, and her once-haughty and aloof expression was replaced by a tired and defeated one.

"Sho? What are you doing here?" Pit turned over onto his back and straightened up.

"I... Isaiah sent me," Shoshanna said quickly, her gaze faltering.

"Shoshanna," Pit said seriously, "is something wrong?"

"Yes," Shoshanna confessed, her voice cracking. Pit threw off his covers, stood up, and embraced the poor girl.

"Shoshanna," Pit asked, holding her by her hunched shoulders and looking her straight in the eye. "What happened?"

"You were right. I'm one of the bad guys," Shoshanna sobbed. "It's them. Li... Lilith too. They're all back. They're using Sasha." Shoshanna drew in a quivering breath.

"It's who? Who's behind this?" Pit asked, shocked by Shoshanna's revelation.

"The... the archangels. All of them." Shoshanna's head whipped around, as if she were expecting one of the black-winged angels the leap out from behind the bejeweled bushes. "And Lilith."

"What are they using Sasha for?" Pit asked sharply.

"To... to revive... something. Or... or someone. But they've got him."

"Oh, no," Pit moaned.

"Oh, Pit, I'm so sorry. I don't know enough to tell you everything. I'm not very high-ranking."

"It's alright, Sho. You tried."

Shoshanna bowed her head. "I... I really need to go."

"Be... careful."

...

The first thing Pit did was wake Pia up and tell her everything.

"So Lilith _was _lying," Pia breathed. "What a rat."

"But don't you see? Now we know who's behind it all. The archangels."

"But why?"

"Remember Marth's dream about Agamemnon he had a while back? He was all abused and crying, and then he attacked Marth. Maybe that's a metaphor or something. Him and Ash were treated so horribly when they were little."

"They still are," Pia reminded him. "Possibly worse."

"Exactly my point."

"And... and Aegeus just got out of... of hell a little while ago," Pia said distantly.

"Yeah... okay. Now here's what we've got: Lilith and the archangels are working together to corrupt and ally with Angel Land, Hyrule, Smash World, and Fire Emblem World. They also have Sasha captured, and they're using him to revive... someone, or something."

"But... but Sasha can only just barely revive the dead! He must be severely weakened by now!"

Pit nodded grimly, tears brimming in his azure blue eyes. "But we don't know where they are."

Pia yawned. Pit tried to laugh, but he was too worried about Sasha to really feel cheerful at the moment.

"Go on, Pia. We should both get to bed."

"Mmkay," Pia said drowsily, dragging herself off to bed.

It took Pit an even longer time to fall asleep this time, because this time, his fears weren't just nightmares. They were real.


	40. Prisoners in Purgatory

**You may need a refresh on Pit's history-see Chapter 17, Pit's Story.**

The next day, Pia was gone.

Pit woke up late, at around ten o'clock. He was feeling grumpy and disoriented due to his sleepless night and fear for Sasha, so it took him a while to notice that Pia wasn't up yet.

Pia was usually an early riser like him, so Pit wondered if she was feeling sick-or, perhaps, like him, had had a near-sleepless night. He grabbed a candy bar for himself and one for her and walked into her room to wake her up.

Her bed was empty.

Pit's senses cleared with a jolt. He rushed to her bed to see if she had left a note or something. He found nothing. He was about to give up and freak out before something fluttered to the ground at his feet. Pit picked it up and examined it carefully. When he saw what it was, his blood ran cold in his veins.

It was a black feather.

...

Pit ran blindly through the streets of Brawl World, looking for either Marth, Ike, or Link. He got lucky. He noticed Marth and Ike laughing together, walking toward the fountain in the center of the Common.

Pit's temper flared. He ran up to the two bluenettes in a fury.

"How can you laugh at a time like this?" Pit demanded angrily, forgetting that the Lords didn't know about Pia's disappearance.

"What? You mean because of the trouble?" Ike asked confusedly.

"No! Because of-oh, you don't know! Pia... Pia's gone!" Pit yelled.

Marth's eyes widened. "What? What do you-"

"Shoshanna Benedict came last night. It's true. She and Lilith are working for the enemies, but Shoshanna defected. She's in danger. It's the archangels-Aegeus, Agamemnon, and Ashliela. They're behind it all. And they took Pia last night. I found a black feather in her room." Pit's shoulders sagged with exhaustion and despair. "They've got her. They've got Pia."

"Pit. Don't worry. We'll get her back." Ike said in a steadying voice.

"How?" Pit asked, on the edge of hysteria.

Marth sighed. "I don't-"

Suddenly, the prince, angel, and mercenary felt a strong wind whistle around them. They closed their eyes. When they opened them, Link was with them, and they were in a strange place. There were heavy gray clouds all around, and the boys seemed to be standing on air.

Link stood up shakily. "Wh-where..."

Pit's eyes widened. "This is... Purgatory."

"Come again," Ike asked dazedly.

"The boundary between heaven and hell. It's where... this is where prisoners are kept! Pia's got to be here!" Pit looked around wildly.

"Pit," Marth said quietly, "if Pia was here, they wouldn't have brought us here."

Pit's shoulders sagged again. Then he looked up. "Do you hear that?"

The other boys listened. They heard a faint voice calling Marth's name.

"That... that's Roy! Roy!" Marth called.

"Marth! I'm... I'm over here!"

"I see you!" Marth and the others quickly made their way toward the direction of the voice. They soon made out the small red-haired figure. The swirling clouds were wrapped all around him like a dense gray cloak.

"Roy! What happened? Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Roy assured them. "They got me after I talked to Celice. This superhot blonde chick."

"Lilith," Marth growled. "Who else is here?"

"Me, of course; Celice, this guy named Sasha who was here before me, this guy named Isaiah, and this blonde girl... Susanna or something..."

"Sasha and Isaiah are here?" Pit exclaimed. "Where?"

"I'll tell you if you let me go." Roy smiled weakly.

Pit smiled wryly and brushed his hands over the thick gray mist surrounding Roy, which dissipated as soon as he touched it.

"Come on, follow me!" Roy led them to four figures who were subdued by the mist as he had been. Three of them were angels; a girl with dull hazel eyes and long blonde hair in a ponytail, a boy with curly brown hair and light brown eyes, and another, extremely handsome boy with shaggy auburn hair and dazzling hazel eyes. One was human; he had blue eyes and long blue hair in a ponytail held back with a white headband.

Pit quickly freed the four prisoners. As soon as he was done, he hugged the skinny, shaky, tired-looking handsome one tightly.

"Sasha! You're all right!"

Sasha smiled weakly. "I guess you could say that."

"He's certainly in worse shape than the rest of us," the brown-haired angel said as he got to his feet. "I'm Isaiah, by the way. Isaiah Pilotski," he intoduced himself to Marth, Ike, Roy, and Link.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Marth," Marth replied. "This is Roy, Link, and Ike."

"And I'm Shoshanna," the girl said nervously. "Shoshanna Benedict."

"I'm Sasha Rimedio," Sasha said in a weak voice.

"And I'm Celice Baldos Chalphy," Celice said.

"All right. Here's the deal. The archangels are behind everything-"

"We know. Sho told us," Isaiah cut in.

"Okay, good. They've captured Pia, and we need to get her back."

"Who's Pia?" Celice asked.

"She's Pit's friend," Marth informed him.

"Okay. You guys, I think I know what to do," Sasha said faintly but determinedly. "They had me revive a bunch of the enemies from all your pasts. Medeus, Ashera, Zant, and Medusa. I think we need to kill them all-they're all here. Once we kill them, we can get to Pia."

Pit nodded grimly and loaded his bow. Marth unsheathed the Falchion. Roy ignited the Sword of Seals. Celice drew the Tyrfing. Link readied the Master Sword. Ike balanced Ragnell on his shoulder. Shoshanna, Isaiah, and Sasha called on their magic.

The nine bravely set forth into the seemingly endless purgatory to defeat their old nemesises and to save Pia.

**O.O ... R&R plz.**


	41. Ike's Sacrifice

"Unhhh..." Pia moaned drowsily. She felt cold, and she couldn't move. "Wh... where..."

"Aw. Looks like the spunky girl's lost her spunk," a low, rough, vaguely familiar voice mocked her.

Pia blinked and the source of the voice became clear to her. He seemed to have become very disheveled from his imprisonment in the Underworld. His long, shaggy black hair was even longer than she remembered it, and his pale skin seemed to have whitened even more. His long black bandanna was ripped and tied with an irregular knot, and his black clothes were also torn. But it was his eyes that scared her the most. They had been scary before, like deep, angry black shark eyes, but now they glowed red with a horrifying malevolence.

Her kidnapper was the archangel Aegeus Harah.

"Hm. Quiet for once in your life, huh?" Aegeus said emotionlessly. "Not so annoying when _you're _on the defensive."

"What are you talking about?" Pia asked, her voice shaking. "Where am I? Why can't I move?"

Aegeus laughed cruelly. "I've taken away your mobility. We can't have you escape, now, can we?"

Pia shuddered. "Where am I?" She demanded.

"Don't worry about it," Aegeus said smoothly."You'll be dead soon anyway."

"You're crazy!" Pia screamed.

"Compliments will get you nowhere, my dear." Aegeus stood up and walked toward her at a leisurely pace.

"If you plan on killing me, why haven't you killed me yet?" Pia asked bravely.

"Well, what would be the fun in that? Without any witnesses to a murder, it's almost not a murder at all." He stroked her hair. "Your little friends have no idea what I've got in store for them. And if, by a miracle, they ever _do _make it here, they'll arrive just in time to see me kill you." He laughed bitterly. "Ironic, isn't it?"

Pia scowled. "What is _wrong _with you? Why would you do all this?"

Aegeus didn't respond.

"There's more, isn't there." It wasn't a question. "Someone's using you."

"No one's using me," he replied robotically.

_Liar_, Pia thought, making sure he couldn't hear her.

"Oh, Pit," she whispered. "Please hurry."

...

"I'm coming, Pia," Pit said determinedly to empty air. "We all are."

"This is all my fault," Shoshanna moaned.

"It's not all your fault," Isaiah reassured her. "It's just _mostly _your fault. Not _all _your fault."

Pit rolled his eyes. "Way to boost Sho's morale, 'Saiah."

Isaiah shrugged. "Hey, I'm just speakin' the truth."

"You guys. Wait," Marth said. "We need a plan."

"God, Marth! Why can't we go without a plan for once?" Ike whined.

"Shut up, Ike. Now, who exactly are we up against?"

Sasha thought for a moment. "Ashnard, Medeus, Ashera, Medusa, Idenn, or Idoun if you will, and Zant."

Ike appeared to be deep in thought. "Lots of A's... and M's... and and I... of course! That spells AIMEE! I should have known..."

"Focus, Ike! Contrary to popular belief, this is _not _an Aimee conspiracy!"

"Just sayin'," Ike mumbled.

"Ashnard should be coming up first," Sasha said quietly.

"Then I'm ready." Ike gritted his teeth.

As soon as he spoke those words, gray mist shot up from the ground and separated him from the rest of the group. Out of the gray fog, a figure came into shape. A figure that was quite familiar to Ike. The figure of Mad King Ashnard.

Ike's face took on a stony expression. "Mad King Ashnard! I will, once again, cut you down with my mighty sword of Ragnell!" Ike held out the gleaming blade in front of the Mad King's face.

"Ah, my good General Ike. We meet again-but this time it is I who posesses the advantage!" He clapped his hands, and some of the mist cleared to reveal two figures in smoky gray chains. One was a little girl, an angel. She had long blonde hair, frightened blue eyes, and tanned skin.

"Ike!" Pit called. "That's Juliana Castrejana-Juliàn's sister!"

Ike almost didn't hear him. He was staring at the other chained figure-one dressed in clothes of Sacaean origin, with long green hair in a ponytail.

"Lyn!" Ike yelled fearfully. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Ike!" Lyn called back.

"It's your choice, young commander," Ashnard sneered, his face twisting into a grin. "Choose one to set free, and one to die."

Everyone except for Ike gasped.

A lesser man than Ike would have chosen Lyn in a heartbeat over some little Mexican girl who he didn't even know. But Ike was a just and honorable man. After only a second's hesitation, Ike slammed his sword into the ground.

"Kill me," he ordered. "Let them both go."

"A wise decision, Sir Ike," Ashnard said. He snapped his fingers, and Lyn and Juliana disappeared, then reappeared with the rest of the group.

"Any last words, boy?" Ashnard asked mockingly.

Ike nodded. "Five... four... three..."

Ashnard frowned. "What-"

"Two... one."

A deafening explosion, with a capital "E," tore through Purgatory. Ashnard only had time to scream once before he was incinerated by the awesome power of Ike's sword.

Unfortunately, Ike had been hit with nearly as much force as Ashnard had. When the smoke finally cleared, all the group could see was Ike's crumpled body lying on the misty ground.

The smoke barrier between Ike and everyone else dissolved. Lyn and Marth were the first two to reach the fallen warrior.

Lyn collapsed into tears over Ike's body. She laid his head on her lap and stroked his hair, then kissed him tenderly.

Tears streaming down his face, Marth said a silent prayer to God. _Don't take him now... don't let him die. We need him, Lord._

"Oh, Ike... I love you... I love you..." Lyn sobbed. Then she just sobbed without words, and finally just began to sniffle. After all, this sort of thing had already happened to her once before with Hector and Lilina.

All of a sudden, she heard a soft voice complain. "Oh, c'mon, don't stop now... it was just getting good!"

Lyn gasped and began to cry of happiness as Ike opened his grayish blue eyes, which were as full of laughter as they had ever been.

_Thank you, _Marth thought while laughing and crying at the same time.

**XD Aw, c'mon now! Ike can't die! He's already died once, y'know! Reviews appreciated! P.S... Ike is NEVER going to be able to act serious, is he?**


	42. Link's Humorous Victory

"Zant should be coming up next," Sasha warned. "You ready, Link? You're really the only one who can fight him."

"Great," Link muttered. "Just what I need."

Little Juliana was riding on Ike's shoulders. She hadn't said a word yet, but everyone could tell that she liked Ike. Celice and Marth seemed to be making very good friends, as well as Lyn and Shoshanna. Pit and Sasha, of course, were overjoyed to see each other again. Isaiah and Roy had similar personalities, so they were getting along well. All this left Link in the cold, but he was so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he didn't even notice.

It was a good thing Link was so focused, because soon after Sasha warned him of Zant's imminent arrival, the mist shot up from the floor again, separating him from the group as it had Ike.

Zant appeared, looking as shadowy as ever in his flowing robes. Link was surprised that he hadn't kidnapped Zelda as Ashnard had kidnapped Lyn, but then Link (slightly guiltily) reasoned that no one really liked kidnapping Zelda-she was too annoying to keep around.

As Zant was beginning his long, boring, self-pitying speech and Link was readying his sword, Link suddenly got an idea.

"'Scuse me," he interrupted. "But could you kill me and _then_ speak?"

Isaiah and Roy made "ba-dum crash" sounds.

Zant's creepy eyes narrowed. "Hmph. Think you're so clever, do you?"

"Well, you wouldn't know a lot about thinking, huh? Doesn't look like you do it very much."

Lyn, Juliana, and Shoshanna giggled.

Zant clenched his teeth. "Wh-why, you..."

"I mean, look at this guy!" Link addressed his friends. "I could dress in fancy robes and call myself a god, and he would believe it." Link sighed. "It's almost no use wasting the power of the Master Sword on _this_," Link taunted, using said sword to point disdainfully at the seething Zant.

Link could swear he heard Midna's tinkling laughter, but he couldn't afford to look.

Zant roared in outrage, drew his two swords, and charged at Link.

Link parried Zant's twin blades easily with his one sword, finally succeeding in knocking one from his grasp, and eventually beheading him.

"Well," Link said while sheathing his sword. "That was fun."

"It's never really all that comforting when one refers to chopping another's head off as 'fun,'" Ike said.

"I meant the first part."

"And you felt the need to taunt him because...?" Marth asked.

"Well, because I could. We all need a laugh, don't we?" Link addressed everyone. He received a unanimous "yes."

"Link, you're right, but we need to focus," Pit said steadily. "We need to save Pia. Fast."

...

If Pia hadn't been so scared, she would have been very bored. She couldn't move, and Aegeus wasn't being a very good source of conversation. She decided to try again to make small talk with him.

"So," she said. "When did you... ah... get out?"

"Few weeks ago," Aegeus replied, not looking at her.

"Have you talked to Mem and Ash?"

"I-" Aegeus cut off, and then his voice became robotic again. "Of course I have."

"So, basically, someone want us to believe that you three are behind all this when you really aren't. Which means that you haven't really seen them yet."

Aegeus's red eyes seemed to flash black for a moment, and Pia felt a stab of hope, but then they brightened to red again.

"I... I have seen them."

"How are they doing?"

"Better than you and your puny team."

"My team is not puny!" Pia said indignantly.

"It seems like the bluenette with the bandanna is out of action," Aegeus reported, smiling at her in a twisted way.

"Oh my God. You look like him," Pia said immediately.

"What?"

"Ike! You look like Ike! I mean, your coloring is different, but you have the same... features, I guess, and-"

Aegeus bolted toward Pia's bedside, grabbed her by the neck, and hoisted her into the air.

"Do not compare me to human scum," he hissed. He waited a second more and then released her.

**...well then! A bit touchy, aren't we? In more ways than one? Sorry for the late update, but I have a lot on my plate right now. Please R&R.**


	43. Roy's Neverending Tie

**Again, see Pit's Story for a refresh-I can almost guarantee you'll need it.**

"Zant and Ashnard down!" Roy said, thrusting his fist into the air. "Who's left?"

"Medeus, Ashera, Idenn, and Medusa." Sasha paused. "Not necessarily in that order."

"Wow, Sasha. While you are incapable of fighting, you certainly have been very beneficial to our mission," Celice complimented Sasha.

"Thank you," Sasha said quietly. Even though he had been freed from his hard labor of reviving the dead, he still looked pale and shaky.

"Sasha..." Pit said slowly, looking his friend in the eye as he spoke. "Just how bad was it?"

Sasha drew in a quivering breath. "Pretty bad," he confessed. "I... I don't think I'll ever be able to revive anyone ever again. And I won't even be able to heal people for the time being."

"Whoa!" Ike said suddenly, stopping short. "Sasha! How old are you?"

"Uh... fifteen," Sasha answered warily.

"Pit! Do you think... do you think that Sasha is that guy who's the descendant of Raphael?"

"What?" Celice, Lyn, and Roy asked.

"Why?" Link and Marth asked.

"Well, because Pit said that he would be a handsome fifteen-year-old healer, and I don't mean that I'm attracted to you, Sasha, but you're kind of, like, really good-looking..."

"So I've been told," Sasha said glumly.

"And you're fifteen years old... and you're a healer! It all fits! You were supposed to be the last archangel instead of Ashliela, but Agamemnon had to have a twin sister, so... whatever, but maybe that's why they chose you instead of all the other healers that there are! Whoa! That's pretty cool, man!"

"Yeah... yeah, it is..." Sasha mumbled, looking a little overwhelmed.

"That is pretty cool, Sasha," Isaiah said. "I wonder how they knew?"

"Well, if _Ike _could figure it out, it probably wasn't so hard for them," Roy taunted Ike semi-good-naturedly.

Ike glared at Roy. "Oh, really? Let's see _you _try to take on Ashnard, you little redheaded conceited twerp."

"Wh-why, you...! Take that back!"

"Make me."

The bluenette and the redhead glowered at each other for a second, and it was about to become full-fledged war until once again, the mist rose up, this time separating Roy.

A lone figure clad in a long, purple robe appeared before them. It didn't move or make a sound.

"Idenn," Roy whispered.

Idenn spoke. "You fight against us. You must be eliminated." She took off her hood, revealing long, silvery purple hair and heterochromic eyes.

Roy held the blazing Sword of Seals out in front of him. "I don't want to kill you, Idenn, but we need to get through."

"Then you must die." Idenn transformed into a huge dragon and swooped down on Roy.

Roy somersaulted out of the way and jumped up immediately, scalding her neck with fire from his sword. Idenn screeched in pain and nearly caught Roy with her tail, but Roy again nimbly avoided her. It went on in this grain for a while. It was hard for Roy to wound Idenn's thick skin, but it was also hard for Idenn to hit Roy. She got two or three good hits in, though.

It was a close fight. Both sides were tiring. Eventually, it seemed like Roy had won when Idenn collapsed and the mist dissolved.

However, as the team was running forward to congratulate him, the mist re-formed, but differently. Instead of preventing the team from moving on, it locked Roy in with the still-alive-but-defenseless Idenn.

"It won't let me go on until I've killed her," Roy said. "And my sword isn't meant to kill innocents."

"So you're just stuck here?" Marth said, alarmed.

"For now, yes, but not forever," Pit said. "Only until we defeat the enemies. Then we can escape."

"He'll need someone to dissolve the mist once the enemies are gone, though, because Idenn still won't be dead," Shoshanna said. "Isaiah, how about you stay?"

"Okay," Isaiah said amiably. "You guys go on. Hurry up and kill them!"

"We'll get right on that," Pit winked.

...

"Why do you insist on talking to me when it is quite clear that I don't wish to converse with you?" Aegeus said, bringing his hand to his eyes in annoyance.

"Well, because I want to get to the bottom of this!" Pia said. "Why did you kidnap Sasha?"

"So he could revive the enemies. And they're doing their job in incapacitating your friends. The bandanna one is trying to hide it, but he's completely incapable of fighting. They've lost the redhead and that Jew, Isaiah, and the Mexican girl can't fight, of course. Sasha has been drained of nearly all his power, although it's not like he was much of a fighter already. And they still have to fight Medeus, Ashera, and Medusa with only your little boyfriend, those two blue-haired girls, that traitor, Shoshanna, and the wild Sacaean, Lyndis."

Anger mixed with fear burned through Pia. "Pit is _not _my boyfriend, Marth and Celice aren't girls, Shoshanna was smart to defect, and there's nothing wrong with Sacae! And what about Link?"

"Ah, yes, the elf. Well, he might not realize it until he tries to fight, but his fight drained most of his energy." Aegeus laughed dryly. "That gives you, oh, five fighters and a load of dead weight."

Pia was starting to feel scared for her friends. They really were dropping like flies.

"And once they finally make it, they'll be just in time to see you die."

**Good ol' Aegeus, making sure he crushes every last bit of hope out of Pia's spirit. Reviews appreciated!**


	44. Lyn's Exhausting Battle

"Ashera's next. I'm sure of it," Sasha said.

"Ike, that's you, right?" Pit said.

"Yeah. I can take her," Ike said bravely.

Lyn stared at him.

"What?" Ike asked.

"Don't act like you don't know," she said irritably. "Ike. You're completely exhausted."

"I've fought Ashera before. I can fight her again."

"Yeah, but before, you were blessed with the power of the Goddess Yune and you hadn't just been almost killed!" Lyn took a deep breath. "I volunteer myself to challenge the Goddess Ashera!"

"Lyn! No!" Ike yelled, but it was too late. The mist rose up and separated Lyn from the group. Ashera appeared at the same time, regarding Lyn with her cold, emotionless glare.

Lyn made the first move. She rushed at Ashera, aiming for her chest. Lyn's speed was an advantage, and Ashera only had just enough time to move. Lyn's blade grazed her side.

"Yes!" Marth hissed. "She's using the Sol Katti-didn't Yune bless that a while ago?"

"Yeah!" Ike replied. "That means that Ashera's Mantle skill is useless!"

"Even so, Lyn's defense and offense stats are very low," Celice said worriedly. "She'll need to rely on her speed, and she might get tired eventually."

Shoshanna, Pit, Juliana, Sasha, and Link looked at each other with a shared expression: _No, I don't know what they're talking about either._

Lyn had to rely entirely on her speed. She couldn't inflict much damage at once, but she could be hurt very easily. Lyn's strategy was to dodge and then quickly get a hit on Ashera, like a little fly buzzing around a giant spider. It would only work until Lyn got tired, and then she was history.

"Come on, Lyn!" Ike encouraged her in a low voice.

Lyn was getting tired. Ashera had managed to get a couple of good hits on her. The more Lyn got hit, the slower she got, and the slower she got, the more she got hit. It was a vicious circle.

Finally, Ashera collapsed. Lyn managed to stay standing for a moment before toppling.

"LYN!" Ike yelled as the mist dissipated.

"Oh, no," Marth moaned. "Lyn, please say you're all right..."

"Nnnn..." Lyn managed to whisper. "I'm... fine..."

"You have to stay here. There's no way you're sacrificing yourself again." Ike said forcefully.

"You're one to talk," Lyn said, trying to smile.

"Lyn, just rest. We need someone to stay with her," Ike addressed the company.

"I can," Juliana said timidly. She sat next to Lyn. "Rest now," she told her.

"Come on," Ike told everyone else, getting up heavily. "We only have two left."

...

Aegeus lounged lazily in a chair with his hands clasped behind his head.

"And another two bite the dust," he mused. "The Sacaean and the Mexican."

"No!" Pia exclaimed before she could stop herself.

"That leaves the two gender-confused bluenettes, the traitor, and Pit." Aegeus sighed contentedly. "And they still have to fight Medeus and Medusa." He laughed. "What a tongue-twister. Try saying that aloud. Three times."

"Medeus and Medusa, Medeus and Medusa, Medeus and Medusa," Pia deadpanned effortlessly. Then she giggled. Aegeus smiled, and for a second Pia saw his eyes turn black again. But before she could blink, he shuddered and his eyes glowed red.

"You haven't completely got him under your control," Pia muttered to whoever it was who was obviously trying to manipulate Aegeus. "He's fighting you. Wow, you fail."

"First sign of madness, talking to yourself," Aegeus said with his eyes closed. Pia shivered. Without the red eyes, it was creepy how much he looked like Ike.

"You're one to talk," she murmured.

_I wonder why he looks like Ike? _She wondered silently. Aegeus opened his eyes and glared at her.

"Well, if you don't like what I'm thinking, maybe you shouldn't invade my mind," Pia retorted. Aegeus closed his eyes again, ironically making him look exactly like Ike again.

"Now, _that _is just plain weird," she said aloud.

"Do me a big favor," Aegeus growled, "and shut up."

"Whoa, now. You may look like Ike, but you sure don't act like him."

Aegeus's eyes snapped open. "I said... shut up," he said in a deadly whisper.

"Fine, Mr. Touchy." Pia closed _her _eyes. And yet, despite her brave, daring antics, she was really pretty scared.

**Awww! Poor Pia! What a martyr. Ummm... really nothing else to say... please R&R.**


	45. Shoshanna's Compromise

"Just... two... left..." Sasha panted. His white face was sweaty, and even his freckles seemed to be getting paler by the minute. "Medeus... and... Medusa..."

"Are you okay, Sasha?" Pit asked worriedly.

"It's just Purgatory," Sasha replied. "It's zapping my energy... well, what I have left of it."

"Purgatory zaps your energy?" Link asked. "That would explain why I'm feeling so tired."

"Everyone who fought once is unable to fight again," Shoshanna informed them, "so use your energy wisely."

"Well..." Marth counted on his fingers. He shuddered as he thought of Roy, Isaiah, Lyn, and Juliana, all alone in the endless gray expanse of Purgatory. "That leaves only me, Celice, Pit, and Shoshanna."

"Hey! Snakehead approaching!" Ike yelled.

"Don't look at her!" Pit commanded, wielding his Mirror Shield. The rest averted their eyes, but not before they got a glimpse of the horrifying demon with snakes for hair.

"Pit!" Shoshanna cried over Medusa's screeches. "Give me your shield!"

"What? Why?" Pit yelled back. "Are you crazy, Sho?"

"You can't waste your fighting energy on this petty demon!" Shoshanna responded. "You need to fight whatever took Pia. Now _me _you can afford to lose."

"Sho, please..." Pit pleaded. "You're too weak."

"Pit, there's no time to argue! Give me the shield!"

Regretfully, Pit handed over the gleaming shield. Immediately, Shoshanna yelled:

"Compromise fighting strength in return for allowance to advance!"

"What?" Ike yelled. "What does that-"

"It means that Sho's giving up some of her energy to let us go through!" Sasha gasped. "Stupid! You stupid martyr!" He yelled.

"Go on! All of you!" Shoshanna yelled before engaging in combat. "I don't need someone to stay with me; as long as I don't get imprisoned, I can get out myself!" When they hesitated, she screamed "GO! NOW!"

"Good luck, Sho, Pit whispered before hurrying on with the rest.

...

"Mmmm... and down goes the traitor," Aegeus murmured. "Leaving the bluenettes and Pit. You're really getting down to the bottom of the barrel, hmmm?"

Pia stayed quiet with great effort on her part.

"It's pretty amazing how fast they're making it through," Aegeus commented. "Although they _have _lost a huge amount of members."

"Once we defeat you, we'll go back and rescue them," Pia retorted.

"Then you'll never rescue them, because you'll never be able to defeat me," Aegeus drawled. "They'll just stay there in Purgatory until the life's completely sucked out of them. And then they'll go down, down, down... down to the fiery pit... heh, heh..." Aegeus said the last part in a frightening, maniacal kind of way.

Pia suppressed a shudder. He was getting crazier and crazier the closer Pit and the others came to rescuing her. "Aegeus..."

"Hm?"

"Don't you remember? When we were all younger... and you and Agamemnon and Ashliela would get into all kinds of mischief..." Pia sighed, her voice trembling. She was close to tears. "And Juliàn wasn't prejudiced, and Sasha wasn't always exhausted and miserable..."

"Huh?" Aegeus asked with genuine confusion. Then he composed himself rigidly. "Yes. Before Juliàn came to his senses. Of course."

Pia sighed in frustration. "I don't know who you think you're fooling!" She shrilly addressed the enemies. "I know that's not Aegeus! Why are you still controlling him?"

Aegeus slumped a bit again. "I... I'm confused..." he said distantly.

"Look at him! You're just making him weaker," Pia taunted, gaining momentum. "You're going to shatter his spirit or something!" She paused. "Or is that your goal? No, it can't be. That would be stupid, 'cause everyone knows that the spirited ones fight better..."

Aegeus held his head in his hands. "Pia..." he moaned.

"Are you okay?" Pia asked, alarmed. "Well, not okay, but are you less okay than before?"

"I-I... Pia... the voices... they keep... ugh..." Aegeus gave an unnatural shudder and his eyes lost all emotion whatsoever. "Enough. Stop trying to resist. You'll be dead soon, and your little friends are only rushing to your ad their deaths."

Pia sighed. "So close..."

**UGH! Enemies are **_**stupid**_**! Aegeus ws almost himself there for a while! Please R&R!**


	46. Marth's Fate

**I mixed in a bit of imagination for Medeus's form, just to make it more intense. **

"W-wow," Sasha breathed. "Just Medeus left."

"That'll leave us two able fighters," Marth said optimistically. "Pit and Celice, because I'm obviously fighting Medeus."

"Is Medeus quite difficult to defeat?" Celice inquired.

Marth thought for a moment. "He takes some wearing down, but I've fought him twice before." He tightened his grip on the Falchion. "I know the ropes."

Sasha shivered. "Any second now..."

As soon as Sasha predicted it, the mist rose up and separated Marth. He felt butterflies forming in his stomach as Medeus's gargantuan dragon form came into his view. He felt unprepared somehow, and then realized he was missing the Emblem Shield. A curse slipped from between his teeth. The absense of the shield would make the fight much more difficult.

Medeus didn't waste time talking. He lunged at Marth the instant Marth showed a hint of wavering determination. Marth quickly ducked and rolled, then jumped up and struck Medeus's underbelly. Medeus roared in pain and tried to swat Marth with his spiked tail. Marth nimbly leapt up onto it and tried to hit Medeus's weak spot again, but missed. He landed lightly on his feet and began the process again.

This was by far the most exciting match yet. Marth knew exactly what to do. He aimed for Medeus's eyes and underside, knowing that those were a dragon's weak points. Marth also didn't gamble. He only attempted to strike Medeus when he knew it was safe, and even if he miscalculated, he knew to get out of the way fast.

Medeus, on the other hand, was something else. He had to be at least three times Idenn's size, standing about fifty feet high. If Marth made one misstep-just tripped up once-Medeus could easily crush him.

At about ten minutes in, neither side was wounded, even though Marth had managed to get a few good hits on Medeus. His skin was simply too thick to penetrate. Marth had to be much more careful. If he was hit _once_, he was done for.

Medeus reared up on his hind legs and tried to swat at Marth with his clawed fist. Marth managed to avoid getting wounded, but he was knocked to the ground in the process. Even though Marth got up immediately, Medeus now knew what he had to do. He made a grab for Marth a second time. This time, Marth was ready, and dodged it without falling, but just barely. When Medeus added his flaming breath into the fray of claws, Marth realized that his fight was no longer about defeating Medeus. It was about staying alive.

Marth was getting very tired. He jumped, ducked, rolled, and leapt with all his might, but he could sense his power slipping away.

Eventually, after nearly a half hour of battle, Marth's vision became blurry and his limbs became heavy. He looked up and felt one brief second of pain when Medeus's barbed tail slammed into his chest, hurling him through the wall of mist.

Then, nothing.

...

"No." Ike's voice shook as he dropped to his knees beside Marth's very still, very pale body. "No. _No_."

"Marth. Wake up. Now. You aren't dead. You can't be dead, Marth. You're my best friend. Wake up." Ike shook Marth's arm.

"Ike." Pit touched Ike's hand. "He's dead."

_He's dead_.

Pit had whispered the last words, but now they reverberated piercingly inside each person's mind.

Marth was dead. He was really dead. And there was nothing any of them could do.

Celice bowed his head and clenched his teeth together, hot tears blurring his vision. "No... no... please... no..."

"Do something!" Ike screamed, suddenly whirling around to face a shaking Sasha. Ike leapt up and shook the skinny, weak angel roughly by the shoulders.

"Do something!" Ike yelled again, hot tears streaming down his cheeks. "You healer! You can do it! You can bring him back! Do it! Now!"

Sasha looked ready to faint. "I-I... I wish... I wish I could..."

"Stop it!" Pit stepped between them. His eyes were shiny with unshed tears and he looked wobbly on his feet, but his gaze was still determined.

"W-we still need to defeat Medeus," Link said in a thick, odd-sounding voice. The murderous dragon was basking in glory, waiting for a new challenger to come meet his death.

"How can you think of that at a time like this?" Ike whispered, dropping to his knees again beside Marth's body.

"He's right," Celice said, his voice cracking. "I'll do it. I must."

Celice seemed to shake a bit, externally and internally. Then he charged at the great dragon.

But none of the others could take their eyes off of Marth's dead body.


	47. Samael's Decision

Marth heard and saw it all.

He han't known where he was at first. When he realized he could see, he thought that he had survived.

Then he had seen his body.

Marth wanted to tell Ike that he was alright, that he didn't feel the pain anymore, but it was no use. He wanted to tell Celice not to sacrifice himself, but he couldn't speak. He could sort of float. He tried to touch Ike's hand when Pit did, but he knew that they couldn't see him.

After Celice charged at Medeus, Marth held his hands up to his face. They were transparent and smoky. Marth shivered.

"He'll be stuck here forever now," Marth heard Pit say. "Poor Marth."

Marth couldn't believe Pit had said that. Didn't he realize that Ike and the others were unstable enough? He watched Ike to wait for his reaction, but it never came. Marth realized that Pit had only thought that.

Sasha sighed. _At least he can see his family again, _he thought sadly.

Marth brightened at the thought. He could see his family, and Shiida...

_No, Sasha, _Pit thought. _He's stuck here. His family has passed on_.

Marth lost all hope and reason then.

"Why?" He screamed. "Why me? Why? It's not fair! I haven't done anything wrong! Look!" He gestured vigorously at his grieving friends. "Look at them! They need me!"

A dark, ominous, depressing silence answered him.

"Can't anyone hear me?" Marth screamed again, on the edge of hysteria. "Anyone at all?"

Suddenly, a searing pain cut across Marth's back, right where he had been whipped by Hardin so many years before.

"Yes." A horribly familiar, calm voice answered him. "Someone can hear you. And someone wants you to shut up."

Marth wanted to answer, but the pain was too great. The voice went on:

"You've cheated me before, Marth Lowell. This time you will not escape."

The pain in Marth's back receded, and he immediately turned around to see his attacker, even though he already had a strong hunch as to what his identity was. An instant later, Marth's fears were confirmed.

The Angel of Death held his gigantic scythe in one hand. It was dripping with blood, and Marth knew it was his own blood.

"Well?" Samael asked testily, drawing Marth out of his dark thoughts. "Don't you have anything to say for yourself?"

Marth shook his head slowly.

Samael frowned. "Now, that's a shame. Don't you want to ask for your life back?"

Marth's head snapped up. "What?" He whispered incredulously.

"You heard me."

"I can... I can ask for my life back?"

Samael's lips twitched ever so slightly. "You can and may."

"May I... may I have my life back?"

"No." Samael's face cracked in a grin. "Gets 'em every time."

Marth sighed and dropped his head down again. "Damn."

Samael's smile disappeared. "What? What do you mean?"

Marth looked up at Samael with an expression of confusion.

"No begging? No resistance? No groveling? Nothing?"

Marth shook his head again. "No. I'll accept my fate."

Samael huffed in frustration. "You are _incomprehensible_!"

Marth didn't even react.

Samael looked down. He seemed to be debating something. "I hate you. Why would I let you live? On the other hand, if I let you die, I'm stuck with you for eternity. On the other hand, if I let you live, you'd be _happy_." Samael looked revolted at the thought. "On the other hand..." He glanced toward the still-living members of the group. He saw Ike sobbing, unable to talk. He saw Celice fighting his heart out, getting closer to death every minute. He saw Link's tears streaming silently down his cheeks. He saw Pit and Sasha unable to cry due to shock.

"On the other hand... if I let you die... your friends will be sad."

Marth looked up, a brief expression of hope flickering across his face.

Samael began to smile. "And on the _other _hand..." He disappeared, then reappeared right in front of Marth's face.

Marth yelled and fell backwards. Samael knelt down and grabbed a handful of Marth's hair.

"I _will _give you your life back," he said, smiling cruelly. "But if you slip up again... you'll be stuck forever in a _much _worse place. Understand?"

Marth nodded.

"Fine, then."

Marth felt like a heavy weight had hit him on the head, and once again, everything went black.

...

Immediately, Marth felt the pain. His whole body ached, especially his chest, which only seconds ago had been ripped open by Medeus's tail. The wound had sealed up, but Marth could still feel blood covering almost the whole front of his body.

Marth could feel Ike's tears dropping onto his face.

"Oh... God... dammit..." Ike spoke through clenched teeth.

"You know... we can go on." Sasha said in a low voice. "I'll stay here and help Celice. You guys go on."

"No," Ike said. "We can't just leave Marth here."

Ike was kneeling over Marth with his eyes tightly closed. Link and Pit were standing up and looking at Sasha. Sasha was looking down at Ike. No one noticed Marth open his eyes a crack.

"You can carry him..." Sasha suggested halfheartedly.

"Or I can just walk," Marth whispered hoarsely.

Everyone froze.

"Marth?" Ike whispered incredulously. "Was that... you? Are you... _alive_?"

"You could say that." Marth grinned.

Ike tackled Marth with a bear hug. "Man, I was ready to commit freakin' _suicide_!"

"Careful with him!" Link cautioned.

"I'm fine." Ike helped Marth sit up. Marth coughed and rubbed his eyes. He was feeling better by the minute.

"Celice!" Pit yelled.

"What? I'm fighting for my life here!" Celice called back.

"Marth's alive!"

"That's incredible!" Celice yelled while dodging Medeus's tail. "Great to have you back, buddy!"

"Thanks!" Marth yelled.

"We're advancing, okay? Sasha'll stay here with you!"

"Awesome!" Celice yelled, rolling out of the way as Medeus attempted to crush him.

"Come on! We don't have a moment to lose!" Pit said to the others. "We have to save Pia!"

Pit, Marth, Ike, and Link raced on, past Celice and Medeus.

"Where exactly are we going?" Marth asked Pit as they were running.

Pit pointed forward. "Towards that light!"

The four ran and ran toward the golden light, which looked exactly like the sun coming out and dispelling all of Purgatory's gray clouds.

**YAY! MARTH IS ALIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVE! AND THEY'RE ABOUT TO SAVE PIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIA! YEAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH! REVIEEEEEEEEEEEEW, !**


	48. Pit's Fight to the Death

**I don't really want to put stuff at the end, so here: this is the first climax. PLEASE tell me I did well. I must have worked on this for two and a half hours, at least. So LIKE it.**

Marth, Ike, Link, and Pit burst out of Purgatory like a ghost was at their heels and found themselves in a gloomy dungeon. They heard a noise behind them and saw that their only exit had been sealed off, trapping them inside.

"Out of the frying pan, into the fire," a low voice said gleefully.

The four saw two forms materialize in front of them and got their first glimpse of Aegeus Harah. His glowing red eyes were wide with insanity and his black clothes were tattered and torn. He carried a black sword in one hand, and a knife in the other. The knife was pressed to the throat of the second form, which was an exhausted-looking, unconscious Pia.

"So you're Aegeus," Link growled. "You're the one behind all this."

Aegeus smiled wider. "Right you are, Link. And there's nothing you can do to stop it." He pressed the knife harder against Pia's neck. "I'm going to kill this girl."

As soon as he said that while smiling that infuriating smile, something inside Pit snapped. He felt his body begin to shake with wrath and fury, and his vision became tinged with crimson.

Aegeus gasped, and his concentration seemed to break for a second. In that split second of weakness, Pit attacked Aegeus with all his might. In order to fight Pit, Aegeus had to let Pia go. As soon as he did, Marth dashed forward, grabbed Pia, and pulled her to safety.

Pit had never felt more angry in his whole life. He was out for blood as he fought Aegeus. He used the split Bow of Palutena like two daggers, trying to stab Aegeus whenever he had the chance.

Ordinarily, Pit was a tactful fighter, carefully considering every move before he made one. Now, not only could he not afford to be careful, he didn't want to. He was so furious that he had lost all reason.

Aegeus was angry too, but not as angry as Pit. Pit's anger was making him stronger, but he was still no match for Aegeus, who possessed a rare combination of strength, speed, and skill. Even though Pit was using two blades and was ambidextrous, Aegeus managed to parry every one of Pit's blows with his obsidian blade while inflicting damage on Pit also.

While Pit and Aegeus fought to the death, Marth, Ike, and Link were attempting in vain to wake Pia up. She seemed to be getting weaker and paler by the minute, and the three warriors realized that this wasn't any ordinary sleeping spell. If Pia slept for much longer, she could slip into a coma and die.

"Come on, Pit!" Marth encouaged Pit in a low voice.

Pit attempted to hold off Aegeus's sword with one dagger while he stabbed him with the other, but Aegeus twisted his sword and broke free, sending Pit stumbling forward. Luckily, Pit ducked in time to avoid Aegeus's roundhouse slash. As soon as Aegeus completed the move, Pit lunged forward and managed to stab Aegeus through the shoulder.

Aegeus didn't yell or curse. He simply bared his teeth and aimed a strong downward strike at Pit's shoulder. Pit shied out of the way, but Aegeus changed the direction of his sword and managed to hit Pit's exposed rib cage, knocking him to the ground.

On the ground, Pit blinked. Everything was blurry, and he could feel a burning pain in his side. Adrenaline coursed through his veins and he rolled out of the way of Aegeus's heavy blade just in time.

As Marth watched them, he noticed something strange. Aegeus's moves and fighting style seemed strangely familiar. Then it hit him. Aegeus fought exactly like Ike, only faster. With that combination of strength, power, and speed, he would be almost impossible to defeat, but Marth could still use that information to help Pit.

"Pit!" Marth yelled. "Aegeus fights like Ike! Fight him like you would Ike!"

It took Pit a while to register Marth's advice. His mind was a little slow at the moment; all of his energy was going to his body for fighting strength. Marth was right. Aegeus and Ike had very similar styles.

For some reason, that comment seemed to anger Aegeus. He fought with Pit with more tenacity than ever before.

Pit now knew when to duck and when to jump, knowing the moveset and style but not being used to the speed of Aegeus's attacks.

As Aegeus was raising his sword up for a downward attack, Pit actually grabbed onto the sword and prevented him from moving. Aegeus's face contorted into a sinister sneer and he kicked Pit in the stomach, causing the smaller angel to fall to the ground once again.

From the ground, Pit hastily rejoined his bow and raised it to counter Aegeus's attacks. Pit knew that it was impossible for him to stand at the moment, and it was only a matter of time until Aegeus got a hit in, which would be very dangerous for Pit in his current position. Pit gave Aegeus a taste of his own medicine and kicked him in the groin, causing him to stumble backwards.

Pit leapt to his feet, taking no notice of the searing pain in his stomach and side, pulled his bow apart, and lunged at Aegeus. Unfortunately for Pit, in the split second that Pit had taken to stand up, Aegeus had drawn his knife. Aegeus cut Pit off as he charged and stabbed Pit in the shoulder.

"Aaaah!" Pit uttered the first words of the epic battle. Then he charged at Aegeus _again_, despite being even more seriously wounded then before.

Aegeus, like Pit, now held a weapon in both hands. Pit, however, was truly ambidextrous, while Aegeus's left hand was noticeably dominant. Nevertheless, Aegeus continued to fight using both weapons.

Pit suddenly realized that he had an opening, even though it would get him hurt. He quickly lifted up one dagger and sliced Aegeus across the neck. This move left Pit's right hand vulnerable, and Aegeus took full advantage of it. He quickly used his knife to slash open Pit's wrist before grabbing at his own bleeding neck in agony.

Pit felt dizzy with pain, but he could tell that Aegeus was incapacitated. Quickly, Pit grabbed Aegeus by the neck and threw him to the ground.

Aegeus gasped, then lay still.

Immediately, Pit grasped that something was wrong, but he couldn't afford to worry about Aegeus at the moment. He fell to his knees beside Aegeus's still body, holding his bleeding wrist and grimacing at the pain.

Suddenly, Pia woke up and started crying.

"I could see it," she sobbed. "I wasn't awake, but I could see it. And I could hear you. I was so scared..." Her voice broke and she crawled toward Pit slowly.

"P-Pia... I..." Pit needed to tell her something, but he could barely think straight over the pain in his wrist, shoulder, and side. The anger and adrenaline had finally faded, and now he was feeling the pain.

With shaking fingers, Ike unwound his bandanna from his head and tied it tightly around Pit's wrist.

"That'll have to do until we can get you medical attention," Ike said. Then he paused. "My dad taught me to do that," he added quietly.

"Pit... I was right, wasn't I? He did have Ike's style," Marth said, his eyes wide.

Pit nodded slowly.

"Link?" Pia asked. "Are you... are you..."

She trailed off. Link was staring at Aegeus's body with an expression of fear and shock.

"What is it?" Pit asked hoarsely.

Link reached out his hand, which was shaking so hard he could barely move it, and gently turned Aegeus's body over.

Marth, Ike, Pit, and Pia gasped in horror.

Aegeus had fallen on his own knife, and it had gone right through his heart.


	49. Palutena Intervenes

Pia cupped her hands over her mouth. "Oh, God," she whimpered. "Oh, my God..."

Ike's hands were shaking. "What do we... what do we do?"

"We could r-remove the knife," Link suggested, trying and failing to sound calm. "Any v-volunteers?"

Marth gulped. "I-I'll do it." He wrapped his quivering fingers around the hilt of Aegeus's knife and slowly pulled it out. It was dripping with fresh red blood.

"H-he's still breathing," Marth said incredulously. "He's... alive..."

...

Aegeus felt happy. Despite the pain, he was happy.

"The voices..." he whispered. "They... went... away..." He tried to smile. "Pia... they're... gone..."

Pia wanted to smile at him, to reassure him, but she was crying so hard she could barely speak, let alone smile.

Soon, though, Aegeus's half-smile faded. "Pia..." he moaned. "Ly... Lykei..."

"Lykei," Pia gasped. "Of course."

"It sounds familiar," Link said, glad of something else to think about.

"She's your friend, right?" Ike said in a monotone, unable to take his eyes off of Aegeus's eerily familiar face.

Pit nodded. "Pia..." he said weakly, "you need to get her. N-now." He clenched his teeth and rubbed his hand along his probably-broken ribs. "_Hurry_!"

Pia stood up with a start. "Marth," she said.

Marth didn't respond. He was staring at Aegeus with glazed horror in his eyes. Pia couldn't tell if it was because of Aegeus's uncanny resemblance to Ike or just because Aegeus was dying in such a horrible way... and still speaking.

"Marth!" She said again.

"Wha? What? D'you want me?" He looked up at her, startled.

"Come with me." She grabbed his hand and pulled him up.

"Where?" Marth asked, trying to shake off the oppressing feeling of doom in his heart.

"To Skyworld," Pia said. "It's right outside."

...

Pia blasted open the dungeon's wall, and the two found themselves standing in brilliant sunshine, a complete contrast to the dark, gloomy dungeon they had left behind. Marth looked back and was alarmed to see nothing behind him but sky.

"It's invisible to _all _eyes," Pia explained. "Except archangels, apparently." She grabbed his hand. "Come on! We need to run!"

They ran at full speed across the grassy floating platforms and were soon running through the streets of Skyworld. Marth couldn't help glancing around him a bit, despite their urgent mission to get this Lykei. He noticed that most of the angels either looked horrified or repulsed at his presence.

"Pia," he yelled as the two raced through the pinkish white clouds. "Is it even _legal _for me to be here?"

"It is," she yelled back. "But there's prejudice now, remember?"

"Oh, yeah." He paused, then yelled: "Why did you even want me to come?"

"I didn't want to go alone!" She replied. Marth rolled his eyes and ran faster.

After a short while, Pia began to slow down.

"She lives around here," she panted. "She's not easy to miss. She's an albino."

"Really?" Marth looked around. "Is she super short with white hair and translucent skin?"

"Yes!" Pia whirled around.

"She's right there... oh." Pia's face fell.

"What? What's wrong?"

"She's, um... talking with Jonathan Speedwing."

"So? I'm not afraid of him. Come on!" Marth said, starting to walk toward her. "We don't have a minute to lose!"

"Marth! Wait up!" Pia ran forward and nearly collided with Lykei.

"Pia? Pia! Hi!" Lykei greeted her happily. "I missed you!"

"I didn't," Jonathan sniffed. "Who would miss _you_?"

Uncharacteristically acting on impulse, Marth drew his sword and pointed it at Jonathan.

"Do... _not_...speak to her that way," Marth said slowly.

Jonathan bared his teeth. "Are you threatening me, human?" He asked menacingly, taking a step towards Marth.

Marth didn't flinch. "I believe I am," he said coolly, not lowering his sword. "Apologize. Now."

"Why, you..." Jonathan hissed. Before Marth could blink, Jonathan had disappeared. Marth whirled around to see him smiling snidely behind him.

Marth held his ground. He knew that Jonathan would be nothing but trouble, and he was angry with himself for starting the ordeal.

"You two! Stop it!" Pia cried hysterically. "Lykei. Come with us. Now." Her voice broke and tears spilled out of her eyes. "It's... it's Aegeus."

Lykei's eyes widened in shock. The tiny albino shoved Marth and Jonathan out of the way and began to run back the way Pia and Marth had come.

"Marth! Come on!" Pia grabbed Marth's arm, and after a brief stumble by Marth, the two were racing through the streets once again. This time, Marth could hear cruel laughter, and he knew it was directed at him.

But he was much more worried about Lykei and Aegeus than himself at the moment.

...

Meanwhile, Ike, Link, and Pit were now alone in the dungeon with the dying Aegeus, and in addition to feeling sad and scared, Ike and Link were feeling awkward. All the pain that Pit had waved away during the fight was coming back at him full blast at the moment, so he really couldn't think of anything besides his pain-ridden, broken, bleeding body.

Ike couldn't stop staring at Aegeus. The two had the exact same face. The only difference was Aegeus's longer black hair and pale skin.

"Nnnn..." Aegeus moaned. With great effort, he managed to open his eyes. They were back to their normal obsidian black now.

Link was disgusted. "So they used him as a puppet, then cut his strings as soon as he became weak," he spat. "Could they possibly stoop any lower?"

"You... with the blue hair..." Aegeus managed to say.

"M-me?" Ike asked apprehensively. "Wh-what do you want?"

"I... know you," Aegeus informed him, wincing at the steadily increasing throbbing pain in his chest. "I... used to... watch you. I... helped you."

"So you're his guardian angel, huh, Aegeus?" Pit said, squeezing his eyes shut from the pain. "Figures. You're so alike."

"Oh... so that's it," Ike said slowly. "That's why you have my face."

"And why you have the same fighting style," Link added.

Then they were all silent again, save for Aegeus's shallow, ragged breathing.

"I-I... don't want to... go back there..." Aegeus said with his eyes closed. He shuddered. "Hell... I don't... want to... go... to hell..."

Ike wanted to reassure him, but didn't know what to say. Luckily, he was saved by the arrival of Pia, Marth, and a little albino girl who had to be Lykei.

...

"No," Lykei whispered. "No." She fell to her knees beside Aegeus's bloody body and began to sob over his chest.

Aegeus opened his eyes and looked at her for a moment. In a laborious motion, he raised his hand to touch her hair. Then his hand fell and he died.

Pia was weeping and shivering, and nearly fell down on her hands and knees. Pit's lip was quivering, and his eyes appeared to be heavy with unshed tears. Marth's hands were shaking, and the look of horror had returned to his wide eyes. Ike was simply too shocked to cry. Link had bowed his head and taken off his hat in a gesture of respect, and although the others couldn't see his eyes, they could see tears running down his cheeks. The room seemed to grow darker. Not darker as if the light had dimmed, just... darker. A spiritual darkness that weighed down on each present person's soul.

And then it was gone.

A glowing light appeared in the room. Not just a great spiritual light, but a physical light also, which lit up each person's face with hope.

The light seemed fitting, as the holy personage who had materialized in the room was the Goddess of Light, Palutena.

Palutena's lovely face was only slightly marred by her anger.

"There is simply no way," she said in a voice as lovely as sunshine, "that the evil ones will come out victorious."

Then she smiled. "I'm sure Samael won't mind this," she said, and placed her hands on Aegeus's wounded chest.

A sort of liquid light began to flow from her fingertips. It seemed to enter Aegeus's body through his wound and heal him. The gaping gash in his chest sealed up, but the light was still circulating through his body, cleansing him of sin and guilt. Aegeus's skin began to glow with life. Blood rushed back to his cheeks. Just as the purifying light was fading, Aegeus took a deep breath. He was sleeping now. Not dead. He was peacefully asleep, and he would wake soon.

The beautiful light abruptly disappeared, taking the goddess with it. Marth, Ike, Link, Pit, Pia, and Lykei stared wide-eyed at the revived Aegeus.

Aegeus coughed and shuddered, and his eyelids fluttered. Then he opened his jet-black eyes and looked around at the six amazed faces looking down at him.

Before Aegeus could say anything, Lykei burst into tears again and wrapped her tiny arms around Aegeus's neck.

Marth and Link politely averted their eyes, while Ike stared at them, Pia jumped up and down with jubilation, and Pit stared at Pia.

Aegeus didn't look shocked or surprised. He laughed softly and pulled Lykei closer to him.

"Awww," Ike said in a hushed voice. "What a touching, poignant moment. I can almost hear the cheesy background music."

"Hey, Ike?" Aegeus said, not looking at Ike. "Guess what."

"What?"

"Shut up."

Marth and Link couldn't resist a small snicker at that one.

"I th-thought you were going to die!" Lykei sobbed. "I'm so happy!"

"Never did understand why people cry when they're happy," Ike said, never one to take a hint.

"I have two words for you," Aegeus said. "The second one is 'up.'"

Lykei pulled away from Aegeus. "I'm going home," she sniffled. She got up and turned to leave, then turned back to him. "Um..."

"Don't worry. I'll see you later." Aegeus winked at her. She smiled, still crying, walked through the wall, and left.

After several quite awkward moments of silence, Pit dropped to one knee beside Pia.

"Pia," he said seriously, "I love you."

Pia seemed to be hyperventilating. "I..." she stammered with happiness. "You... I... love..." She hemmed and hawed for a minute before regaining her true Pia personality.

"Aw, to hell with it!" And she tackled Pit in a hug.

"Wow. I am, like, the luckiest guy on the planet. My guardian angel _and _best friend both died and came back to life on the same day." Ike said casually.

Aegeus raised his eyebrows, then sighed. "It's no use, is it?" He asked Marth.

Marth shook his head. He was still shaky from all the extreme emotional experiences that had just taken place.

Link slumped to the ground. "Phew. What a day."

Aegeus snorted. "You got that right."

"Wait! Wait!" Pia said, disentangling herself from Pit. "It's not over yet! It's not over yet!" She said in a shrill voice.

"Deep breaths, Pia. Come on. You can do it." Pit smiled crazily and leaned back, delirious with joy.

"Okay. Right. Calming. Lower blood pressure." Pia took a deep breath. "Too many damn things just happened." She took another deep breath and cleared her throat. "We need to rescue the people in Purgatory. And the trouble is still brewing."

Aegeus furrowed his brow. "Huh?"

"What?" Pit asked him, his smile fading. "Hold on a sec. Just how much do you remember?"

Aegeus thought for a moment. "I kind of vaguely remember getting out of the Underworld." He gulped and shuddered. "I think I was a little insane at that point... and then I remember being really, _really _mad... and then I sort of remember being possessed. But... it's kind of like I'm watching these last few weeks through someone else's eyes." He paused, perhaps trying to find the words to convey his thoughts with. "I can... I can remember what happened, but I can't... can't remember _doing _any of it. And I don't know who was controlling me."

"Aegeus was just a pawn," Pia explained. "And the people of Angel Land and the other Worlds are so corrupted by now that they were willing to believe that Aegeus and the others were behind all this."

"Behind all what?" Aegeus asked.

"Lately, people in Angel Land, my home, Fire Emblem World, and Link's home, Hyrule, have been acting strangely," Marth explained. "A group of our enemies has been corrupting our important Worlds to take them over, and eventually take over the rest of the universe. The enemies were using you as a scapegoat."

Aegeus's face turned stony. "Are Agamemnon and Ashliela alright?"

Pit nodded slowly. "To the best of my knowledge, yes. Apparently, most of the blame was going to you. And don't worry. They have friends to back them up in case of trouble."

Aegeus relaxed. "Good. So... what now?"

Marth, Ike, Link, Pit, and Pia looked at each other, passed an understanding, and grinned.

"You're coming with us back to Brawl World," Ike said, reaching out a hand to help his guardian angel up. "Welcome to our team."

**MAAAAAAAN that was long. And rather fluffy. And I'm sorry for the late (for me) update.**


	50. Intermission Interruption

Marth, Ike, Link, Pit, Pia, and the new addition to their team, Aegeus, sat around a table at the Cafè Zeto, enjoying sugary French toast sticks. It had been only two hours since their latest escapade.

"It seems like it's been so long since we've done something like this," Link observed. "Just discussing stuff over food, y'know? Just as friends, reminiscing and stuff?"

"Yeah," Marth agreed. "Even though it's only been a few days."

Ike licked sugar off his fingers. "Mmmm... sugar."

Pit laughed. "Amen, brother."

"You sound like Homer Simpson," Pia laughed, taking a bite of her French toast stick.

"It seems like so long since I've actually eaten food," Aegeus said.

"Didn't you get food down there?" Marth asked.

"Not much," Aegeus replied cryptically.

"Are you going to go back to Skyworld to see Mem and Ash?" Pia asked.

"I went back to... see Lykei, but I haven't spoken to Mem and Ash yet." Aegeus paused. "You don't... don't think anything's happened to them, do you?"

"Nah. They sound pretty tough." Ike took a sixth French toast stick. Aegeus reached out his hand, snatched it from him, took a bite, and gave it back.

"Thank you for the use of your French toast stick," Aegeus said with a calm smile.

Ike gaped at him. "Unbelieveable. Despite all appearances, you're really quite rude."

Aegeus waved his hand through the air. "Ah, c'mon, you've used that one before."

"How in the world could you possibly know that?" Ike asked.

"I told you. I watch you." Aegeus regarded Ike for a moment.

"Like when?" Ike challenged him.

Aegeus didn't respond, but simply smiled wickedly.

Marth pressed his lips together and set his unbitten French toast stick down on his plate. "So close," he said wistfully. "So close... and you had to ruin it."

Aegeus said nothing, but took Marth's French toast stick and ate it.

"Incredible," Marth said. "You really are Ike, just black instead of blue."

"And he has wings," Ike pointed out.

"Really? I didn't notice, Ike. Thank you for clarifying."

Aegeus smiled. "I'm kidding, anyway. I just wanted your food."

Marth rolled his eyes. "One Ike is enough!"

"Hey, Pit, Pia," Link said suddenly. "You knew Aegeus before you knew Ike, right?"

Pit nodded. "Yeah, why?"

"Well, weren't you surprised when you met Ike and he acted exactly like Aegeus?"

Pit didn't respond for a moment. "Um... Aegeus, don't get offended..."

"Depends on what you say."

Pit took a deep breath. "Well... I only saw Aegeus act like this a few times before. You had this sort of shell... and you only broke out when you were with Mem and Ash for a long time. I wasn't used to this part of you... that's why I wasn't surprised when I met Ike for the first time. I barely even remembered it when you acted like him."

Aegeus was quiet for a moment. "I see what you mean."

"Why does _everyone _always have to take the fun out of fun conversations?" Ike exclaimed, throwing his arms into the air.

"I know, right?" Aegeus agreed.

"You two are _so _much alike," Pia said. "I wonder why you have such different tastes in girls?"

"Well, I guess with Aegeus it's 'opposites attract,' and with Ike..." Marth mused.

"I like girls who're like me," Ike supplied. "Tough, tomboyish, and pretty. Well, I'm not pretty. But you know what I mean."

"I like Lykei because... I just love her," Aegeus said simply.

Ike nodded his head. "Well said, my friend. Well said."

"Are you mocking me?"

"No. I actually meant that sincerely."

Aegeus rolled his eyes. "Are you on a sugar high?"

"Yes, I believe so."

Marth drew a design on his plate with sugar crystals. His expression was troubled. "Hey... guys?"

"Yeah?" Pia replied.

"Did anyone rescue the people stuck in Purgatory?"

Immediately, the joking mood vanished.

"What?" Aegeus asked confusedly. "Oh. Yeah." Aegeus blushed. "S-sorry about that.."

"It's not your fault," Pit said quickly. "It's ours."

"Oh, crap," Ike said. "They're gonna be _so _mad at us."

Link got up. "Alright, guys, we have to go get them. All of us. Right now."

"Oh, God," Pia moaned. "They're all gonna hate us."

"How many people are trapped again?" Aegeus asked as the group left. "Pia, I remember rattling them off to you, but... I can't remember now."

"Um..." Pit counted off. "Roy and Isaiah first... then Lyn and Juliana... then Shoshanna... and last, Celice and Sasha."

"Guys?" Ike asked.

"Yeah?"

"How are we actually gonna _get _to Purgatory?"

"Oh, that's my job." Aegeus drew his black sword and plunged it into the ground. An eerily familiar swirling gray mist came flowing out and soon engulfed all of them, bringing them all, once again, to the gloomy gray prison called Purgatory.

...

"...okay. I've got one."

"Is it a man?"

"Yes... yeah. Yeah, it's a man."

"Is it Celice?"

"Dang it! Your turn."

Isaiah thought for a moment. "Um..."

Suddenly, Roy dug his fingers into his hair and buried his head in his chest. "Isaiah! I can't take this anymore!"

"Take what?" Isaiah asked, concerned.

"Just... this! We've been trapped here for... for Elimine knows how long, and now we've been reduced to playing Twenty Questions in this creepy place! I can't take it! I can't take it!"

"Oh, shut up," a deep, gravelly voice behind Isaiah said. As his figure came into focus, Roy lifted up his head and started shaking. He thought that it was Ike-he had died from his injuries, and had now returned as a tall, pale, black-winged angel to wreak havoc on Roy as revenge for the tension between them during his lifetime!

"Ahhhhh!" Roy fell to his knees. "Lord Ike! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean it! I didn't mean any of it! I don't mind if you're best friends with Marth! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please don't kill me, oh great Ike! I'll be a good little red-headed twerp! Spare me! Spare me!"

By now, Marth, Ike, Link, Pit, and Pia had caught up with Aegeus. Roy was still groveling and begging for forgiveness from a very confused Aegeus. Ike raised his eyebrows. Then he looked at Aegeus, then at Roy, then back at Aegeus. And he understood.

"But why should I spare you? After all the jokes about my intelligence you made while I was still alive... hmmm..." Ike said this while everyone else, including Isaiah, tried as hard as they could to hold in their laughter, now understanding.

"Ahhhh! Please, Sir Ike, spare me! I have... um... what do I have? I have fangirls! You'll make them upset! Please, Sir Ike, don't kill me!"

"Hmmm..." Ike mused. Roy's face was still pressed to the ground in fear, and it was clear that he wasn't going to lift it up on his own. Ike was getting tired of the game and was feeling a little guilty.

"Okay. Lift up your head," Ike commanded. Shaking with fear, Roy did so.

"AHHHHH!" Roy screamed. "It's Ike... and his ghost! But I... who... when... agh..." The trauma finally getting to be too much for him, the skinny redhead passed out from terror.

"Uh-oh," Ike said. "Is he-"

"He'll be fine," Marth assured him, Marth being the only one that _could_ assure him, because everyone else was rolling around on the ground with laughter. Except for Aegeus, who had pressed his palm to his face and was shaking with silent laughter.

"Okay. Let's get 'im out of here," Aegeus said, recovering. He picked up the small fifteen-year-old Lord and slung his limp body over his shoulder.

"Wait!" Ike dug out his phone and took a picture. "This is _so _going on the Internet."

...

Juliana was starting to feel very scared. Of course the nice green-haired girl was beginning to recover, but she still couldn't make conversation with her. On top of that, Purgatory scared her. So when the big scary archangel came walking toward her with the dead body of the funny red-haired boy slung over his shoulder, it was only natural that she would faint.

"Aegeus," Pit said slowly, "no offense, but I think it would be better if someone else led us."

"Yeah. I think that would work."

When they woke Lyn up, she was rather confused for a second.

"I don't know if I should hug you or you!" She said dazedly, gesturing at Ike and Aegeus. Then she shrugged and hugged both of them.

"I'm the real one," Ike whispered to her.

"Oh, good! Now I know whose shoulder to lean on."

...

"Ugh..." Celice opened his eyes. Then he remembered.

"What! Medeus... Marth... alive? Where... who... ow..."

"Take it easy," Sasha said in a low voice. "I managed to manipulate the mist so neither of us could advance, but it doesn't matter, since we don't need to advance anymore." Sasha lightly touched Celice's arm, causing the blue-haired Lord to wince in pain.

"Ah. Broken. Like the rest of you." Suddenly, Celice felt the pain. Everywhere in his body, there was pain. He wondered why he wasn't dead.

Sasha took a deep breath. "At this rate, you're gonna be dead soon." Sasha raised his intricately carved healing staff high. Celice tried to shake his head, but it was no use. Sasha collapsed with the effort of healing. Immediately, Celice leapt up to catch him before he toppled.

When the group arrived to rescue Celice and Sasha, they were quite surprised to see a completely fine Celice attempting to wake a near-dead Sasha.

"Celice!" Marth yelled as he ran forward. Celice looked up immediately.

"Prince Marth! It's Sasha... he spent the last of his energy to heal me..."

Aegeus knelt down next to Sasha's limp body. "It's best to keep him in Brawl World," Aegeus said. "We can't risk moving him to Skyworld."

Pit nodded shakily. "Will he... be all right?"

Aegeus nodded. "Probably."

"Well, now we can leave," Marth began to say before he was interrupted by Ike.

"Wait a sec... where's... Shoshanna?"

A silence fell over the group.

"She... did she go down... fighting... no..." Pit was dangerously close to tears. His best friend was nearly dead, and now Shoshanna had gone down fighting _his _battle...

"Pit! I'm fine!" A weak voice behind them said. Shoshanna's bruised and battered form became clear. "Well, not fine, but... I wandered off after I killed her, and..."

"Sho! You're alright! C'mon, guys, we need to leave. Now." Pit spun his bow around, covering them all in shimmering gold light and transporting them back to Brawl World.

**Sorry for the late and not-so-great update (lame rhyme XD), but I'm on vacation, it's very warm, and I had writer's block on this story. Well... that's all I have to say, except that this isn't exactly my best work, so please go easy on me... also, being on vacation rules, even though my Internet is pretty much dying. Please review, please.**


	51. Nonculture Shock and Deja Vu

**This chapter seems a bit crackish. Maybe it's because I have a bad case of writer's block, or because I'm on vacation, or because I felt that the characters deserved a break. Anyway, this chapter is sort of filler, mostly because Celice is AWESOME and I wanted a lot of stuff about him! And I'm sorry for the late update. I haven't been writing my best lately...**

"Pit, why didn't you just do that golden light thing to get us out of Purgatory the first time we were stuck?" Ike asked.

"It wouldn't have taken us to where Pia was, and it wouldn't have worked on the imprisoned people," Pit explained.

After getting out of Purgatory, the group had rushed their injured and unconscious members to the Isle of Healing. (Pit's injuries had been healed earlier.) Roy, Lyn, Shoshanna, Juliana, and Sasha were being treated at the moment. Celice had been admitted briefly in case Sasha had missed anything, but he had been approved to leave and was now sitting with Marth, Ike, Link, Pit, Pia, Aegeus, and Isaiah in the entrance to the Isle of Healing.

"I'm so sorry we forgot about you guys," Link said for the fifty-second time.

"Dude, it's _fine_," Isaiah assured him. "The only one of us here who might be a _little _mad at you is Celice, and he's not even mad."

Celice smiled, but it looked half-hearted.

"Are you okay?" Marth asked him.

Celice nodded. "Yeah. It's just... I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed right now. This is all so new to me. My continent is the only one in Fire Emblem World that's untouched by Brawl, and we don't have many modern conveniences. Just cell phones and computers."

"Well, it's okay," Ike said with a smile. "You'll be leaving soon, and-"

"Hey! Hey, you guys!" Falco ran up to them, panting and out of breath. Celice tried not to stare, but it was difficult.

"Hi, Falco," Pit greeted him. "Falco, this is Isaiah, Celice, and Aegeus. Guys, this is Falco Lombardi."

Falco saluted the three. "Nice to meet you, but I got some bad news." He took a deep breath. "You guys are gonna be stuck here for a while. The Worlds Teleporter just broke down, and you won't be able to get home until it's fixed. I'm really sorry, guys," Falco apologized.

"Wow. That was ironic," Pia said. "Uh... sorry, Celice."

"It's fine," Celice whispered.

"I guess that means Roy, Sasha, Shoshanna, and Juliana are gonna be stuck here too," Aegeus said. "Man, that bites."

"It's fine," Celice whispered again. "I'm okay... it's fine..."

"Nonculture shock," Pia said, patting Celice on the shoulder. "Don't worry, Celice. You'll like it here."

Celice was staring straight ahead with a look of dazed horror in his eyes. "But I have to get back," he said slowly. "The people... they need a leader..."

"Oifey can take over until you get back," Marth said comfortingly. "Come on. Isaiah, you too. We'll show you around." Marth helped a shaky Celice to his feet.

"What about Aegeus?" Isaiah asked.

"They've already shown me around," Aegeus said in his deep voice. "You guys go. I'll stay here and check on the others." With that, Aegeus stood up and walked back into the Isle of Healing.

...

"Okay, so over here are the restaurants and the mall..." Marth said, pointing. "You know, I've noticed that two of my outfits are really similar to yours and Leaf's."

Celice nodded his understanding, but still looked dazed.

Pit elbowed Pia. Pia grinned. They were remembering what seemed like an incredibly long time ago-when Pit and the others had shown Pia around Brawl World.

Ike came running up to the group. "I contacted Oifey. He says he'll take over Chalphy castle while you're here. Yuria says she misses you, and to video chat with her later." Oifey was Celice's main advisor and basically his foster father. Yuria was Celice's half-sister.

"Okay," Celice said. "Okay. I think I'm finally starting to relax-AHHHH!" Celice jumped about a foot in the air. "WHAT IS THAT THING?"

"What?" Marth looked around wildly.

"Th-th-that big round pink thing!" Celice said hysterically, clinging to Marth's arm in fear.

Marth laughed. "Oh, Celice, that's just Kirby. He's a big softie, inside and out. Hi, Kirby!" Marth called.

"Hiiiiiiiii!" Kirby called back, bouncing toward all three blue-haired Lords.

"H-h-hello," Celice said. "Um... wh-what exactly is that thing?"

"He's a round, pink ball of cuteness from a distant star! Aren't you, Kirby?" Pia cooed as she squeezed him in a hug.

"Hiiiiiiiii!" Kirby said, waving to Celice as he bounced away.

"Um... good-bye," Celice responded nervously. "And I was so proud of myself for not freaking out because of the angels..."

"Hey, man, don't worry about it," Isaiah said, putting his arm around Celice's shoulders.

"His world is pretty primitive, though," Pia said. "No offense..."

"Incest is only legal in Jugdral because there's pretty much no way around it!" Celice said angrily.

"I'm sorry! Please don't get mad!" Pia hugged Celice tightly.

"It's okay," Celice said with a small smile. "Well, I guess I better resign myself to living here for a bit." He took a calming breath. "I'm just a little overwhelmed, is all."

"You'll be staying in our castle, along with Roy, Lyn, and Ike," Marth said. "We have tons of room."

"That sounds nice," Celice said politely.

"Do you understand how things work here now?" Ike asked. "The brawling system and stuff?"

Celice nodded. "Yes, Marth explained everything to me."

"Good. We'll help you get settled right now." Marth guided Celice in the direction of the Battlefield Fortress.

"I'll go back to the Isle of Healing to check on the others," Link said. "Pit and Pia, you help Aegeus and Isaiah get comfortable in Skyworld."

"Okay. Come on, guys!" Pit and Pia led Aegeus and Isaiah toward the direction of Skyworld while Ike, Marth, and Celice made their way to the Battlefield Fortress.


	52. Incest, Hacked emails, and Monty Python

"Ahhhh!" Ike said as he flung open the great doors of the Battlefield Fortress. "It feels so good to be home! Feels like we've been gone forever!"

"I'd have to agree with you on that one," Marth said as he led Celice up the stairs. "C'mon with me. We have a _ton _of extra rooms, but a lot of them aren't that nice. We have a two-bedded room that's very comfortable, but then you'll have to share with Roy."

"That would be fine," Celice said quietly. "I'm used to worse."

"Why are you so, like, medieval?" Ike asked Celice. "I mean, you're just so polite and stuff! Like you're speaking out of a book! Man, you're only seventeen! Live a little!"

"I... this is how I was raised," Celice mumbled. "I'm not as exposed to modern culture as you two are."

"Ike, that was _so _rude." Marth shot a nasty glance at Ike before opening the door to the double-bedded room.

Ike couldn't resist. "Hey, Marth, remember when we slept together in here?"

At first, Marth tried to maintain his composure, but he soon dissolved into laughter along with Ike.

Celice looked at them with a strange expression. "Um... did I miss something?"

"Inside joke," Ike chuckled.

"Anyway," Marth said, "you can stay here. Tell us if you need anything."

"Alright," Celice said as he laid down on the bed. Marth and Ike left.

Celice stared at the ceiling. He hoped that the people would be okay without him. He hoped that no one would fall deeper into darkness when he was gone. Then he remembered that Yuria had wanted to video chat.

Celice got up and walked toward the dresser, where there were two computers. He turned one on and logged onto his account. He saw that Yuria was online, and engaged her in a chat.

Yuria's beautiful face appeared before him, her worried expression changing to one of relief.

"Celice!" She said with a smile. "You're alright! Ike told me that you were almost killed by a dragon!"

Celice waved his hand through the air. "Ah, he was exaggerating. I'm fine. A little disconcerted, but otherwise fine."

"Everyone's being nice to you?"

"Of course. Marth and Ike are extremely gracious Lords. They've made me feel at home here."

Yuria smiled wider. "Oh, Celice, I'm so glad. We were all so worried when you disappeared."

"Ike told you that I'm stuck here, right?"

Yuria sighed. "Yes, he did. I miss you already! Oifey and I will hold down the fort until you get back."

"Good. And another thing-"

Suddenly, the door to Celice's room opened and Ike walked in with a confused expression on his face.

"Who are you talking to-oh. Hi, Yuria."

"Hello, Ike," Yuria greeted him warmly. "Celice and I were just talking about you."

"Mind if I join you?"

"No, not at all." Yuria gestured for Ike to come in. "I mean, it's not like we'll be kissing over the monitor." She laughed.

"W-w-wait... sh-she's your... girlfriend?"

"Yes."

"I thought she was your... your sister. That's what Oifey said."

"Yes. That too."

"B-b-b-b-but... th-th-that's... not..."

"Aha. Finally, something _I'm _comfortable with that _you _aren't."

"What, incest?" Ike sighed. "Oh, my. _This_ conversation I want to hear."

Yuria giggled. "You're funny. You remind me of Patty. She's a thief."

"Right... Yuria, about Patty," Celice said, his expression turning serious. "Have you noticed that she's been stealing more often as of late?"

Yuria blinked, and her eyes seemed to unfocus for a second. "Uhhhh?" She said woozily.

"There! Yuri, you've been doing that more and more often. Zoning out like that."

Yuria touched the side of her head as if she had a headache. "I've noticed, Celice. And what was that about Patty? She's been stealing more?"

"Yes. And have you noticed another thing? Leaf hasn't been looking well lately either."

"Is he ill?"

"No... no. Not exactly ill, just... drained."

"Mentally ill, you mean?" Ike asked with a small smile.

"Actually, that sounds accurate."

"Who is Leaf, exactly?" Ike asked.

"He's my younger cousin and the Prince of Lenster, but he seems to be getting affected by this... taint."

"What taint?" Yuria asked.

"People have been acting strangely, Yuria. Surely you've noticed. Leaf's been acting strange, Patty's been stealing more, you're zoning out... stuff like that. And it's happening all over Fire Emblem World. Marth and Ike told me about it just before I was kidnapped."

"Fire Emblem World is being tainted? By whom?"

"We're not sure exactly, but we know what their motive is. By tainting Fire Emblem World, Angel Land, and Hyrule with evil, the perpetrators hope to gain control of those Worlds and ultimately take over the Video Game Universe."

"Well phrased, Celice," Ike complimented him.

"Thank you, Ike."

"Oh, dear. That _is_ rather disconcerting." Yuria exhaled. "Don't you have any idea at all about who's behind all this?"

"That's what we're working on right now." Ike and Celice jumped. They hadn't noticed Marth walk into the room.

"Hello, Prince Marth," Yuria greeted him.

"Hello yourself, Princess Yuria. Anyway, what our next step is is figuring out who's behind all this. We know who one is-Lilith Stalitler of Angel Land."

"I was hoping to help stop the taint from spreading, but I can't now that I'm here." Celice sighed. "And I'm sorry, but you can't do it. You... no offense, Yuria, it's just..."

"Your will isn't strong enough," Ike finished. "Don't take it personally, though-most of the citizens are being affected by this."

"But wait..." Celice thought for a moment. "Marth, you said that Aless wasn't getting affected because of his strong will. He could help!" Aless, otherwise known as the Black Knight, was Celice's strong-willed best friend and the Prince of Augustria. With his imposing persona, demonic sword, hot temper, and incredible fighting power, Aless was not a man to be trifled with.

"Well, if it's a matter of strong wills, it's no wonder Aless isn't affected," Yuria said with a small smile. "I'll try to get him to contact you later. For now, I should tell Oifey about all this."

"Yes, do," Celice said. "Love you."

"Love you too," Yuria smiled. Then Celice's screen went dark.

"How can you be in _love _with your _sister_?" Ike asked Celice incredulously.

"She's only my half-sister."

"Not important! You're related by blood! How can you, like, _love _her?"

"I didn't even know she was related to me until a very long time after I met her," Celice said patiently. "Besides, incest is legal in Jugdral. There's pretty much no way around it. I mean, it's possible for Aless and Nanna to fall in love in the game, and they're cousins."

"Whatever." Ike got up. "I'm happy with Lyn."

Ike left with Marth. As soon as they were out of earshot of Celice, Marth glared at Ike with a displeased expression.

"_What_?"

"Why do you have to be so mean to Celice? First you make fun of the way he talks, and now you're giving him a hard time about his girlfriend!"

"You mean his sister?"

"Ike! Shut up! You're missing the point here! Celice is going through a very tough time right now, and his life hasn't been very easy anyway. I'd really appreciate it if you could act a bit nicer to him."

Ike hung his head. He _had _been acting unnecessarily mean to Celice, and he felt sorry about it. Selfishly and ridiculously, he had worried that Celice might steal Marth's best-friendship as Ike had stolen him from Roy.

"Oh my Ashunera," Ike mumbled. "My mind is like a flipping yaoi soap opera."

"What?" Marth laughed.

"Nothing. Bottom line: I'll be nicer to Celice. Promise."

"Good boy." Marth patted Ike's head and walked away.

...

"So, Isaiah," Pia said as she, Isaiah, Pit, and Aegeus were walking through Skyworld's garden. "When exactly did you get captured?"

"After I started trailing Lilith. Apparently, I'm like the worst stalker ever, 'cause she found me instantly." Isaiah sighed.

"Wait... _right _after you started trailing Lilith?" Pit asked, slowing down.

"Yeah, why?"

"Well, we got an e-mail from you that said you were tailing Lilith and it didn't seem like she was up to anything suspicious and that you had started to tail Sho."

Isaiah frowned. "I never sent an e-mail like that. You sure it was me?"

"Well, it looked like it really showed your incredible spelling skills, but come to think of it..." Pia dashed inside the cottage with Pit, Aegeus, and Isaiah trailing behind.

Pia opened up the e-mail on her laptop. "Yeah... it's not like you to spell 'investigate' right. They slipped up."

"Huh. So they forged an e-mail from 'Saiah's account and you fell for it?" Aegeus said snidely.

Pia shot him a withering glance. "Oh, shut up. We need to think. So, right now, we just need the identity of the mastermind behind this, right?"

"And where he or she is located," Pit added.

"Right. We know Lilith is high-ranking, but not necessarily the mastermind."

"I suggest that we all do research and try to figure out who the main villains from Fire Emblem, Kid Icarus, and Legend of Zelda are," Aegeus said. "The absolute masterminds, the sneaky ones who hide behind others."

"Yeah, and we can rule out any villains that we encountered in Purgatory, right?" Pia said.

"Yeah." Pit verified.

"How do we find out _where_ they are, though?" Isaiah asked.

"It doesn't matter right now, luckily. The Worlds Teleporter is broken. We can't leave." Aegeus reminded him.

"Oh, yeah." Isaiah paused. "So, bottom line: we try to figure out who the mastermind-or masterminds-behind this brewing trouble stuff is or are by doing research on all the games involved?"

"Yeah, basically." Pit got up and looked out the window of the cottage, worriedly staring down at the ground. "I really hope Sasha and the others are okay."

...

Roy blinked woozily. Everything was spinning, and it was far too bright. He squeezed his eyes shut. Then he remembered.

"Ah! Ike... dead... ghost... ugh... where...?"

"Take it easy, kid." Roy blinked again, and the blurry form of Link came into focus. "You just fainted."

"What about Ike? Is he dead? Does he want revenge?" Roy asked, his voice climbing into the early stages of hysteria.

"Roy. Seriously, man, take it easy. Ike is fine. You were worshipping his guardian angel."

"Oh." Roy could feel his cheeks burning. "But then... why was Ike saying stuff?"

"What? Oh, yeah. He was just hamming it up."

Roy scowled. "Why, that big-sworded stuck-up commander. I'll get him back one of these days."

Link smiled. "Look, Juliana, Roy is awake."

The little blond-headed Mexican angel smiled up at Roy from his bedside. "_Hola_, _un pelirrojo còmico_. I am glad you are not dead." She smiled innocently.

Roy smiled back. "_Yo tambièn, _Juliana." Then he looked at Link again. "Where's everyone else?"

"Sasha, Shoshanna, and Lyn are still being treated here. Everyone else went back to either Skyworld or the Battlefield Fortress. And, by the way, the Worlds Teleporter broke down, so everyone's stuck in Brawl World now."

"Man." Roy frowned. "And right in the middle of this brewing trouble stuff, too. That's kind of irritating. I was planning to travel back to Elibe after this to help my people."

"Sorry."

"Ah, don't worry." Roy waved his hand through the air. "I'll be fine." He got out of bed slowly. "So Ike isn't dead?"

"No, Ike is not dead. But we rescued Pia, and we restored her kidnapper, Ike's guardian angel Aegeus, to sanity. Now, since the Worlds Teleporter broke down, we're going to try to figure out who's behind all this."

"Personally, I'd nominate Zephiel for one of them. After all, he's the one who was controlling Idenn in the first place."

"Hmmm. Sounds legit. We'll look into that." Link stood up and started to walk away.

"Where are you going?" Roy asked.

"Check on Sasha, Sho, and Lyn. You wanna come?"

"Sure. _Vamanos_, Juliana."

...

They checked on Sasha first. He had just woken up a little while before Roy and Link had arrived. His skin was ghastly pale, and he looked even weaker than he had before.

"You okay, Sasha?" Link asked softly.

Sasha smiled weakly. "Do I _look _okay?"

"Man. You didn't even fight and you look worse than the rest of us," Roy said.

"Where's Pit and everyone else? I take it you rescued Pia, right?" Sasha coughed.

"Pit, Pia, Aegeus, and Isaiah are up in Skyworld. The Worlds Teleporter broke down, and you're going to have to stay here for a while."

Sasha sat up, wincing. "So everyone is in better shape than me? That's good to hear."

"Sho's pretty beaten up, but she's mending. Lyn is just exhausted. She hasn't woken up yet. Everyone else is pretty much fine."

"Celice is okay?"

"Yes, he's fine."

"Oh, good. So now we're all stuck here in Brawl World?"

"Yeah. I'm really sorry, Sasha."

"It's fine. Except for just one thing."

"What?"

"The girls you have here are absolutely _insane_," Sasha whispered, just before Peach walked in, wearing a white dress and apron.

"Feeling better, Sasha?" She asked, giggling.

"Are you even a nurse?" Sasha asked dubiously.

"Of course I am!" Peach ruffled Sasha's already-messy auburn hair and smiled. "I'll be checking on you again in about five or six minutes." And with that, the Princess of the Mushroom Kingdom sashayed out, humming a happy little tune.

Sasha groaned and flopped backwards onto the mattress. "This is like that scene from _Monty Python and the Holy Grail _where Sir Galahad is trapped in the Castle Anthrax with all the seductive women dressed in white who all want him to spank them."

Link raised his eyebrows. "All right then," he said cautiously. "Are you sure you're alright-"

"I loved that scene!" Roy burst out. "Did you see the part where the white rabbit is just randomly killing everyone?"

"Are you kidding? Man, that's the best scene in the whole movie!" Sasha smiled a real smile for the first time in a long time.

"I'll just leave you two to discuss that, then," Link said slowly as he left to go check on Lyn and Shoshanna.

**LLOOOOOONNNNNNNGGGGGG and I didn't realize it until I was done. LOL! Well, Celice is involved in an incestuous relationship with his half-sister (who is also known as Julia), Isaiah's e-mail has been hacked into, and Sasha is being harrassed by girls and is comparing it to a Monty Python movie. Just another normal day in Brawl World. Reviews appreciated.**


	53. Assimilating, Sort Of

**I do know that Yuria's "official" name is Yuria, and I usually go by the "official" names, but I like Julia too. So some will call her Yuria, some will call her Julia. Kind of like in the real world.**

"Okay, guys," Pia addressed the now-larger group as they regrouped at the Cafè Zeto, their new favorite restaurant. They had hit a plateau. Everyone was healed, they had made new friends and reunited with the old, Ike and Lyn were back together, and Pit and Pia had replaced them as the hottest Brawl couple.

"The Worlds Teleporter breaking down is kind of a blessing in disguise for us," Pia said. "We can take it easy from now on and devote a lot of time to researching the enemies and trying to figure out who the mastermind is."

"And we can keep laughing at Celice's culture shock," Ike said. "No offense," he added quickly.

Celice smiled and rolled his eyes. "None taken."

"Taking it easy? That doesn't sound too bad," Sasha said.

"Indeed. Quite the opposite," Celice agreed.

"You talk so weird," Ike mumbled under his breath.

"Oh, shut up," Celice replied.

"Enough!" Marth chastised them.

"Yes, do," Lyn said wearily. "They've been bickering like this since Roy got out of the hospital."

"Ike, Celice, try to act your age," Link said. "Please."

"Can we get food now?" Ike asked. "Please?" He added as an afterthought.

"Who's stopping you?" Marth asked as the two of them got up to get food.

Even though it was lunchtime, the Cafè Zeto offered meals for breakfast and dinner for the whole day. Ike returned with two plates: one for himself which was heaping with all kinds of food and condiments, and one for the whole table, whch was heaped with French toast sticks caramelized with sugar and cinnamon.

"Cheers!" Ike declared as everyone helped themselves to a French toast stick.

"To life!" Pit said.

"To life!" Everyone echoed.

"L'chaim!" Pia and Isaiah said a moment later.

"These things are really good!" Celice said after he took a bite.

"Finally, something we agree about," Ike said. And the two smiled at each other for the first time.

"It feels good to be back," Roy commented as he alternated bites between sweet sugary French toast and spicy hot buffalo wing. "I forgot how cool it is here."

"Oh, hey, Roy!" Someone said from behind the table. "Nice to see you back."

"Nice to see you too, Fox," Roy called back.

"How come you guys aren't disconcerted by all the... unique peoples who live here?" Celice said in a low voice to Aegeus, Isaiah, and Shoshanna.

"Well... _we're_ kind of different," Isaiah said. "I mean, we're angels. What could possibly surprise _us_?"

"True," Celice agreed.

"Well... except for the fact that you support incest. That disconcerted us."

"Yeah. That's kind of weird," Aegeus said as he dipped a French toast stick in vanilla glaze. "You guys are like the rednecks of Fire Emblem."

Celice exhaled sharply. "Look. It's not like we plan to have _children _together. We're just in love. Is that so horrible?"

"But... Julia is your _sister_," Pit said. "Flesh of your flesh, blood of your blood. Don't you find that weird?"

"I thought her name was Yuria," Ike said confusedly.

"Some call her Julia. She doesn't mind. And just for the record... she's only my _half_-sister. I don't even remember our mother. If our parents were still alive, well, then maybe things would be different." Celice sighed. "This is actually the first time I've ever been met with incredulity about this. It's considered fairly normal in my continent."

"I think it's fine if he's okay with it," Pia said. "Why do you have to give him so much flak about it?"

"Whatever. I'm gonna let it go," Aegeus said passively. "I agree with Pia. For once."

Pia rolled her eyes. "Meh."

"How many people are stuck here, exactly?" Link asked in an obvious attempt to change the subject.

"Um..." Marth did a quick head count. "Roy, Celice, Isaiah, Shoshanna, Aegeus, and Juliana."

"Where is Juliana?" Lyn asked.

"She's with Ness and Lucas and Toon Link," Shoshanna said.

"Awww," everyone cooed.

"That's so cute!" Pia said.

"And what do we have here?" a deep, gravelly voice said from behind Celice, Ike, and Marth. They turned around to see Solid Snake standing there with an interested expression on his face.

To everyone's great surprise, Celice let out a sigh of relief.

"Finally!" He said. "Someone here who's _normal_!"

"Uh..." Snake raised his eyebrows. "Who exactly is this kid?"

"Celice Baldos Chalphy, the Lord of a Fire Emblem game," Marth informed him.

Snake regarded Celice for a second. "You a girl or a boy?"

"I'm a boy, thanks," Celice said coolly.

"Huh. Wouldn'tve known otherwise. Who're the rest?"

"This is Roy, Shoshanna, Aegeus, and Isaiah," Pit said, gesturing to the newcomers. "Roy was in Melee, but the rest are just stuck here."

Snake grunted, which the rest took to be a "hello."

"I like this guy," Aegeus said while regarding Snake with a strange smile. "I almost think he could beat me in a fight."

For once in his life, Snake didn't know what to say.

"Well... hope you like it here," he said finally before going on his way.

"Anyway," Pia said after Snake was gone, "that's pretty much all we need to do. Research, prepare, and strategize."

"And Celice needs to stop freaking out whenever he sees a non-humanoid," Roy added. Celice blushed. Earlier, he had come quite close to having a panic attack when Jigglypuff had bounced over and hugged him. Afterwards, however, Marth, Roy, and Ike had comforted him by saying that they had been scared of her at first also.

"I'll work on that," Celice mumbled.

**I know, I know, it's filler. Cut me some slack. I have a huge Science test tomorrow, and... yeah. It's huge. And my grade really matters. The next chapter will be better! Do review, if it pleases you to. XD Oh, and also... Foxpilot claims credit for the redneck joke. We apologize if you are, in fact, a redneck.**


	54. Aless Agrees to Help

Marth was sitting at a round table along with a few other people. He couldn't see very well, though-for some reason, his vision was obscured. He turned his head and saw a figure sitting next to him. His eyes and most of his face were covered by a black hooded cloak, but Marth could see that the figure had long red hair. Looking around, Marth could see that everyone else at the table was wearing similar cloaks that covered all but the lower part of their faces. Suddenly, the red-haired figure next to Marth opened his mouth and began to speak.

"We should pull out some effort in Magvel." He spoke in a cold voice that had an odd alluring, charismatic tone to it. "It is currently the most well-defended continent."

"What would you say the weakest is, then?" Another figure asked.

The red-haired man laughed. "You of all people should know, really. Elibe, of course. They have no leaders at all, only stand-ins. Their most prominent Lord, Roy, cannot even try to return, thanks to the convenient Teleporter malfunction."

"It's a good thing I took out Akeneia earlier, eh? One less to worry about." A familiar voice chuckled. To his great surprise, Marth's mouth opened and words came out, in a proud, arrogant voice that was not his own.

"I resent that." Marth seemed to say. "It was my continent too."

The red-haired figure beside Marth patted Marth's hand consolingly. He raised his head ever so slightly, and Marth could see a gleaming red eye peering out from behind thick red bangs.

"You shouldn't worry. Let it go. You have a better home now, amongst us. I would actually suggest that we begin to put great effort into Jugdral. Which _was _my homeland." The redhead's lips parted in a grin.

"Jugdral and Elibe. Of course, since their Lords have been suddenly removed. Now, then, you two-"

...

Marth's eyes snapped open. A dream... another dream. But unlike his dream about Agamemnon, Marth he couldn't remember it. Frustrated, Marth closed his eyes again, the better to concentrate. He saw lots of darkness... dark figures... a flash of red... nothing else.

Marth sighed and opened his eyes for good, staring at the comforting, familiar surroundings of his blue bedroom. He got up and put on his warmest blue fleece robe over his pajamas and glanced at the clock. Eight o'clock. He wondered if Celice was up.

As he walked to Celice and Roy's room, Marth smiled internally. He knew that Ike was secretly jealous of Celice. Ike was just so see-through. It _was _a bit yaoi-like, though, Marth thought glumly. Still, now he knew why Ike was being mean to Celice, and the next time Ike said something mean to him, Marth would know to steer his attention more towards Ike. Which still felt yaoi-like, but at this point, Marth couldn't really care less. Besides, it was natural for new friends to be more interesting than old ones.

Marth reached Celice and Roy's room and knocked tentatively on the door.

"Come in!" Celice called.

Marth opened the door and walked in. Celice was sitting at the desk in front of the computer. Roy was still in bed, his sheets kicked all over the place. A few tufts of red hair were poking out from underneath the blanket.

Marth grabbed some of the hair and pulled. "Mornin', sleepyhead."

A muffled "meh" came from inside the blanket. Marth smiled and peered over Celice's shoulder at his computer screen.

"Whatcha doin'?"

"Video chatting. Well... _about _to video chat. Aless hasn't logged on yet."

"With Aless, huh?"

"Yeah. I'm counting on him, Finn, and Oifey to oversee Jugdral until I come back. It's a bit of a tall order, but they'll have to do their best."

"Who's Finn?" Marth asked, pulling up a chair.

"Basically Leaf's Oifey. He's like a father to him." A chat request flashed on Celice's computer, from _BlackKnightofJugdral666_.

"Ah. That's him, all right." Celice clicked on the icon and engaged Aless in a video chat. Marth had his first view of the famed Aless.

Aless was an excruciatingly handsome young man, to say the least. He had long blond hair in a perfect shade hanging to his shoulders, cold, piercing blue eyes, and a look on his face that seemed to say, _I already know I'm better than you. I'm trying to figure out _how _much better I am than you_. Marth had seen that expression-and hair and eyes, come to think of it-somewhere else. But where?

"Hey, Celice. Who's your friend?" Aless had a deep voice. It sounded a bit like Ike's, but with a regal, important tone to it.

"This is Marth. It's nice to see you, Aless, but I have a pretty big favor to ask of you."

"Shoot."

Celice took a deep breath, then exhaled. "Have you noticed anything weird about the people that you know? Some of the... weaker-willed people? They're acting almost... tainted?"

Aless frowned. "As an unfortunate matter of fact, I know exactly what you mean." Aless looked down. "You know my girlfriend, Leen?" Celice nodded.

"A dancer," Celice explained to Marth. Marth nodded to show he understood. "Go on," Celice told Aless.

"Well, she's... been acting different. Dirty dancing, I guess you could say. She's been dancing in sleazier places, and she doesn't seem to mind when people try to come onto her. In fact..." Aless looked revolted. "I think she _likes _it when those disgusting drunks hit on her."

Marth and Celice looked at each other and blushed. "Um..."

"Oh, don't get the wrong idea. And you know Nanna, my cousin? Leaf's girlfriend?"

"Yeah..."

Aless took a deep breath. "I think she's hitting on me."

"She's cheating on Leaf? Maybe that's why he seemed depressed!" Celice cried.

"That and the taint," Marth added. "And Aless... your _cousin _is hitting on you?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Uh..." Marth raised his eyebrows. "You're, like, _related_?"

Aless snorted, folding his arms across his chest. "So?"

"Ugh! Celice! We need to agree to disagree on this!" Marth said.

"Apparently, incest is considered a heinous crime in the other continents," Celice said to Aless, as if he were truly suprised by it.

"Wow, really?" Aless replied. "Strange. Anyway, what's this favor you have to ask of me?"

"Oh, right. That. Look, since I'm not there to moderate or stop the taint from spreading, you need to help. You're a very strong-willed person, Aless, and the taint won't affect you for a while-if at all."

"What exactly is this taint thing?" Aless asked.

"This group of enemies is trying to take over the Video Game Universe by tainting three important Worlds-including Fire Emblem-with darkness, then swaying the Worlds to join them."

"Ah. And the taint won't affect me because...?"

"It affects weaker-willed people first," Marth said. "Leen, Yuria, Leaf, Patty..."

"Then this is serious. What can I do to help?"

"You need to watch over the whole continent. You need to make sure that the taint doesn't spread... that people don't fall deeper into darkness. You need to return them to the good side. You're an influential person, Aless. I'm sure that you can persuade the people to listen to you."

Aless exhaled sharply. "That's... that's a tall order."

"Good thing you're a tall person, then." Celice grinned. "A bad joke. But seriously... you need to at least try."

Aless sighed. "Will do." And he signed off.

"He's pretty cool, that Aless," Marth said. "I bet the women are all over him."

Celice smiled. "They are. He's very protective of Leen, though... this dirty dancing thing must be really hard on him."

Something suddenly nagged at the back of Marth's mind. "Oh yeah... Celice, I forgot to tell you. I had a really weird dream last night... but I can't remember it now."

"What _do _you remember, if anything?"

Marth thought for a moment. It seemed even more vague than before. "A lot of black... black cloaks. And red... a flash of red."

"Black and red?" Celice opened his mouth, then shut it.

"What?"

"It's nothing. Crazy idea. I'm just paranoid."

**Famous last words, Licey. Sorry if this seems rushed. Anyway... tell me what you think!**


	55. Juliàn is Pacified

**This chapter just has horrible grammar to an almost comical degree. But it's people talking, so... anyway. Just read, please.**

Pia walked into the small cottage that she and Pit were now sharing with Isaiah, Shoshanna, Juliana, and Aegeus and found the latter sitting at the kitchen table with his head resting on his crossed arms. There was a glass of milk on the table, and Aegeus was staring at it intently.

"Hi," Pia said.

"Hi yourself."

"Whatcha doin'?"

"Waiting for this stupid milk to sour."

"..."

"I'm incredibly bored."

"Yes, I can see that."

"Where've you been?"

"Getting a cell phone."

"Ah. Congrats."

"Yeah, thanks. But I kind of expected you not to care."

"I don't."

"Oh."

They were quiet for a while. Pia sat down across from him.

"There's a bunch of stuff to do here."

"Yeah, but the thing is... I just don't fit in here. The only person here who even is sort of like me a little bit is Snake, and he doesn't really fit in either."

"But... you act like Ike. Just your sense of humor is drier, and you're kind of... darker."

"But look at Ike, and look at me. There are differences."

"Like what?"

Aegeus opened his raven-like wings, which had previously been folded against his back.

"That hasn't stopped Pit and I from assimilating."

"Well, you guys aren't scary black-winged archangels who scare everyone who sees you. Look at Ike. People look at him and think, 'Wow! There's that great hero guy!' People look at me and either faint or grovel."

"Juliana and Roy were pretty high-strung at the time," Pia argued.

"Look, people can't help judging books by their covers. Once people get to know me, they treat me like an equal."

"Yeah. Roy and Juliana like you now. So what's the problem?"

"I don't know many of the people here. They see me and think, _dangerous_. People automatically shy away from me on the street. And not just here. In all places. They can't help it. That's the difference between Ike and me, Pia. People aren't instantly scared of him. They're instantly scared of me."

"I... I never thought that bothered you."

"I have feelings too." Throughout the whole conversation, Aegeus's voice had been monotonal and his gaze hadn't faltered an inch from the glass of milk. When he spoke those words, his voice shook and he blinked, maybe trying to hold back tears.

Pia laid her hand on his arm. "I'm not scared of you."

Aegeus smiled a little. "Thanks. That means a lot to me."

"Was that sarcasm, or did you really mean that?"

"A little of both."

Pit walked in, smiling. Pia and Aegeus jumped.

"Touching," Pit said with a hint of smugness.

"Go die in a hole, Pit." Aegeus growled.

"No, really. I meant it."

"_Please_ die."

Pit sighed and opened the cupboard. "Do we have any good food?"

"No."

"Oh, darn."

Juliana poked her head in timidly. "There is chocolate ice cream in the freezer," she whispered in her Mexican accent.

"Thank you, Juliana," Pit said as he opened the freezer. "Who wants ice cream?"

"Me!" Pia and Juliana answered instantly.

"I'll pass," Aegeus said, slipping back into his monotone.

As Pit was scooping the ice cream, Isaiah threw open the door of the cottage. He was holding a can of knock-off Brawl Coca-Cola.

"Dude!" He said, looking at Pit. "This soda stuff is incredible! We're missing out in Angel Land!"

"Um, Isaiah?" Pit said unsteadily. "There's a reason why we don't have soda in Angel Land."

Isaiah's face fell. "Why?" He asked, holding the can at arm's length as if he were afraid it would explode.

"Angels can get drunk off it," Pia said, trying to hold in her giggles at Isaiah's amusing expression. "How much did you drink?"

Isaiah gingerly set the can down on a table. "About half."

"Okay, good. Depending on your tolerance for caffeine and excessively high amount of sugar, you'll either get tipsy, slightly tipsy, or nothing will happen."

"Agh. That's not good." Isaiah rubbed his temples. "I have low tolerances for things, usually."

"Isaiah, you're a Jew," Aegeus said out of the clear blue sky. He still hadn't taken his eyes off of that solitary glass of milk.

"Yes. That is correct, Aegeus."

"Where's Shoshanna?" Pia asked as she began brushing Juliana's pretty blonde hair.

"She has gone out with the Princess of Peaches and her friend," Juliana answered.

Pit and Pia burst into laughter. Juliana blushed.

"Oh, man... Pia, we should tell Juliàn that his sister's alright."

"Oh, yeah, that would be smart."

"But what I don't get is, how would Juliana going missing lead to Juliàn's prejudice toward humans?" Isaiah asked.

Pia thought for a moment. "You know, I was thinking about that too, and I came up with a possible explanation. Let's say, as a hypothesis, Juliàn wasn't getting affected by the taint because he was too strong-willed. Then Juliana disappeared, and Juliàn lost his strong will, allowing the taint to seep into his soul. The enemies might have even let slip to him that Juliana was kidnapped by humans."

"That is not what happened to me," Juliana said, her blond eyebrows wrinkling in confusion.

"We know, but the bad people might have said that to your brother to make him hate humans," Pit explained.

"I like humans," Juliana said. "Especially the _pelirrojo _boy. He is funny."

"Ah, yes, Roy. Anyway, come with us, Juliana. We need to use the power of technology to communicate with your brother."

...

"What is it this time, Pit?" Juliàn asked irritably through Pia's computer screen. "More siding with the humans?"

"I have someone here that I think you'll like to see," Pit said quietly. "Juliana, come here."

Juliàn's eyes widened in shock and then filled with tears as Juliana climbed onto Pit's lap and smiled at Juliàn.

"Juliana... _mi hermana favorita_... you are alright?"

"Yes, I am fine. The nice people here helped me." Juliana smiled wider.

"Pit..." Juliàn said in wonder. "Wh-what... how..."

"Juliàn," Pit said seriously. "Juliana is trapped here for now, but I will personally see to it that she will not be harmed."

"Pit... thank you..." Juliàn's head sagged into his arms.

"No problem, Juliàn." Pit paused, unsure of how to ask Juliàn why he was prejudiced, but Juliàn beat him to it.

"Pit... they tricked me. I saw... I saw everyone becoming hateful. I didn't like it. I would not join them. And then Juliana... she disappeared... they told me that the humans had taken her. And I believed them. _Ay_... I was such a fool..."

"Juliàn, the taint was created by the enemies to sway us to their side. Thank Palutena you were able to pull yourself out of it."

"_Sì, mi amigo_, but there are so many of us still corrupted."

"There's nothing we can do about that now," Pit said gently. "Just try not to fall into my namesake again."

Juliàn smiled his old, mischievious smile. "I will try, Pit. I will try."

**Yay, Juliàn is okay! And I can write in Spanish a little... been taking it for years and THIS IS THE RESULT! Pelirrojo means redhead or red-haired, in case you didn't know... mi hermana favorita is "my favorite sister..." I hope. And Isaiah is Jewish, although many people already knew that. Pia is too, so yay! And poor Aegeus kind of just gets forgotten about... awww... r&r plz.**


	56. The Enemies Indirectly Cause a Truce

"Okay, Soren, what have you got so far?" Ike asked through his computer webcam.

The sullen mage's usually solemn face cracked in a grin. "I've got _tons _of dirt on the major enemies from all the games. Hold on a moment while I get my phone."

"Since when does Soren have a phone?" Ike asked Roy as Soren got up and left.

"Since a while ago. A Raspberry or something."

"Soren got a BlackBerry?" Marth gasped. "Whoa."

"Actually, that's exactly the kind of phone that I view him with..." Ike mused. He smiled again at his brilliant idea to have _Soren _do all the work, which killed two birds with one stone. Soren was always happy to do research, and Ike and the other Lords didn't have to do the dirty work.

"I've never seen Soren this happy before," Roy said.

"Seeing Ike may have pulled him out of the taint," Celice said quietly. "Maybe happiness is all one needs..."

"Okay. Here's what I've got," Soren said, coming into the webcam's view with his smartphone in hand. "Which continent first?"

"In order. Akeneia first," Marth said.

"Alright, then. Here's what I've got on Akeneia," Soren said, glancing at the screen of his BlackBerry. "Excluding Medeus, of course, there are three-no, four possible candidates. One is Gharnef, the evil dark mage who resurrected Medeus and led to Hardin's corruption."

Marth ground his teeth together. "I expected no less. Who else?" Marth felt another nagging thought in the back of his mind, but ignored it.

"King Hardin of Akeneia is a prime suspect. I believe everyone knows full well who he is and what the treacherous deeds he has committed are."

The four Lords nodded. Marth's eyes took on a murderous light.

"The third most likely is Michalis, Prince of Medon."

Ike and Celice frowned.

"I'm not familiar with him," Celice said.

"Me either," Ike said.

"He was-or is-a highly ambitious man who killed his father to ascend to the throne. He would definitely be all for the idea of ruling over the Universe."

"Who else could there be?" Roy wondered aloud.

"A newcomer, Eremiya. She was a kindhearted caretaker of orphans until Gharnef twisted her soul, turning her into a cold-hearted tyrant who raises orphans to become assassins. In this case, the number-one man on her hit list is Marth."

"Great. So I have no homeland, but I somehow get to have _four _potential surviving enemies from my world." Marth rested his chin on his hand.

"Five, if you count Medeus," Ike said glumly. Marth and Celice shuddered.

"Poor Sasha. He probably had to revive _all _of them," Celice said. "And then heal _me_."

"He didn't have to revive Hardin," Marth pointed out. "Anyway-Soren, go on."

"_Thank _you," the crimson-eyed mage said irritably. "From Celice's continent, we only have one contender, thankfully."

"Yurius," Celice hissed. Marth, Roy, and Ike were mildly shocked. Celice seemed like the kind of person who never got angry, but now it looked like he wanted to rip someone's head off. The murderous light had disappeared from Marth's eyes and landed in Celice's.

"Yes, Yurius. The Prince of Darkness himself. Apparently, in revival, his soul combined entirely with that of Loptous."

"What's that, an illness?" Ike asked.

"Loptous is the god of darkness," Celice said through clenched teeth. "He possessed Yurius when he was younger, causing him to murder my mother." Celice bowed his head until his eyes were covered by his hair. "He would have killed Yuria, too, if my mother hadn't warped her to safety."

"Loptous and Yurius are now one complete being," Soren explained. "Even when Yurius isn't completely possessed, his soul is still tainted. In other words, he acts of his own will, but not the way he would have acted before he was possessed."

"And when he is possessed...?" Roy asked.

Soren shuddered. "You don't want to know."

"At least it's only one from Jugdral," Ike said, trying to up everyone's confidence. "Who else?"

"From Elibe, Nergal and Zephiel."**1**

"Typical," Roy said dismissively. Celice and Marth felt a bit annoyed that he hadn't gotten as angry as they had. "I can take Zephy, and Lyn can take Nergal."

"Glad to see that you're confident," Soren said dryly. "From Magvel, we have Prince Lyon of Grado. He has a similar case as Yurius, but a different path. He delved too deeply into dark magic and forbidden spells and wound up getting possessed by the Demon King, Fomortiis. At the end of _Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones_, Lyon died and Fomortiis was destroyed, but now Lyon has been resurrected with Fomortiis's soul in him. He acts like Yurius, too-not completely possessed, but still cruel and not like his old self at all."

"That does sound a lot like Yurius's case," Marth remarked. "Who else?"

"That's it. All the major enemies from Ike's game were already defeated."

"What about the Black Knight?" Ike said in a hard voice.

"Apparently, no one got around to him," Soren said with a tight, wicked smile. "No regrets there..."

"That's still a lot," Celice said sharply. Speaking about Yurius had apparently touched a nerve of the normally quiet, mild-mannered Lord. "That's eight. And it's probably all of them are there."

"Unfortunately, you're probably right," Soren said. "Is that all you needed, Ike?"

"Yes, Soren. Thank you. I'll talk to you later." Ike switched his webcam off.

"Damn that Yurius," Celice muttered under his breath. "Killed my mother. Tried to kill Yuria." Celice lifted his head up. The Lords were shocked to see tears running down his cheeks. "And on top of that, his father killed my father."

"Why would he kill your mother?" Roy asked.

Celice gulped. "Because... because... I don't know." Two more tears rolled down Celice's cheeks. "She was his mother, too."

"He's your brother?" Ike asked incredulously.

"_Half_-brother," Celice snarled. "Thank the Lord and all that is holy that we don't have the same father." Celice took a deep breath. "Alvis."

"He's the one who killed your father?" Marth asked sympathetically.

"Betrayed him, denounced him as a traitor, and then incinerated him. After stealing my mother from him, of course."

Celice abruptly stood up. "Excuse me," he said quickly as he left.

Ike, Marth, and Roy were shocked. Never before had they seen Celice this upset. Marth and Roy were even more surprised when Ike volunteered to go talk to him.

...

Ike found Celice sitting on his bed in a fetal position, with his head buried in his knees. Ike sat down next to him. He remembered with a start that he had experienced almost the exact same situation not too long ago. Except for now he wasn't comforting his best friend. He was comforting someone whom he had previously hated.

"Hey," Ike said lamely. Celice didn't respond. Ike could hear him crying.

"Look," Ike said huskily. "That... that's really sad. I didn't know that... that you'd been through all that."

Celice still didn't respond.

"You know, I saw my father die right in front of me," Ike said quietly. Celice finally lifted up his head.

"Really?" He whispered, his voice cracking.

"Yes." Ike let out a long, quivering sigh. "It was a cloudy night. I remember that. And my father... this huge man dressed in black armor challenged him to a battle. It was such a short battle. The man... h-he stabbed my father... and I saw it all... and then he left... and I... I had to carry my father back to..." Ike broke off. Celice was staring up at him with wide eyes.

"Oh, Ike... I'm so sorry..."

"Yours was worse," Ike replied. "Betrayed, falsely accused, and then... incinerated? Burned to death?"

Celice bowed his head a little. "I never knew him, Ike. I never spoke to him... at least not while he was alive. But you knew your father. You _missed _him. You can remember him, even now."

"Yeah..." the two Lords fell silent.

"Look," Ike said after a while. "I'm sorry. I've just been a real jerk to you ever since I met you, and I'm sorry. It's completely unfair to you. You're stuck in a place that you don't know, with weird things you've never seen, and... and Marth was right. Your life hasn't been all that great, especially in the family situation." Ike held out his hand. "Truce?"

Celice smiled and took Ike's hand without a second's hesitation. "Truce."

"Although I still think that incest is creepy."

**I had a snow day today and felt guilty for doing NOOOOTHING all day, so here's a chapter! 1: If you don't know who Nergal and Zephiel are, please use the Fire Emblem Wiki. I really don't feel like 'splaining. See Marth's Story (Chapter 18) for more info on Hardin. Please review! PLEASE! It will make me happy! Being happy makes me want to write! And if I write, you get to read! So review!**


	57. A Plan

"Okay... that's some pretty decent info, guys," Link praised the Fire Emblemers over a midafternoon snack of tortilla chips and salsa at Hyrule's castle. Present along with Link, Marth, Ike, Celice, and Roy were Pit, Pia, Isaiah, Aegeus, and Sasha. "Good job."

"Thank Soren," Ike said. "He did pretty much all the work."

"Yeah," Celice chimed in. "We just told him what to look for."

"Wow. So, what's that... eight major baddies from Fire Emblem alone?" Pia asked. "That doesn't sound good."

"That doesn't sound good at all," Pit agreed.

Marth shook his head. "No. It really isn't."

"How should we prepare, do you think?" Isaiah asked.

"Well, first we could find out who the enemies from Angel Land could be," Marth said.

"I could tell you that," Sasha said quietly. Although he had recovered from his physical wounds, the healer still looked perpetually exhausted. Dark circles had taken up residence under his sunken eyes, his fingers often shook, and overall, he just looked sick and tired.

"They had me revive the archangels. The first generation. All three of them."

Pit, Pia, Aegeus, and Isaiah gasped.

"Bad?" Roy asked.

"The twelve archangels, which include yours truly, were all supremely powerful, black-winged angels who possessed terrifying amounts of power. One member of the first generation of archangels _alone _could massacre an entire village without exerting any effort at all," Aegeus explained calmly.

"Bad," Roy confirmed.

"And they're _all _revived?" Pia whispered incredulously. "Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael?"

Sasha nodded gravely. "They hadn't woken up yet when I was imprisoned, but they'll have woken up by now. And we all know Lilith is in on this. But that's all I know."

"Sasha, that's extremely valuable information," Pit said gently. "Don't say 'that's all I know.' We're lucky to even have that inside info."

Sasha gave Pit a weak smile that didn't quite reach his dazzling hazel eyes. "Thanks."

"This is _really _bad," Pia said, wincing. "All the guys from Fire Emblem _plus _the archangels?"

"How will we ever be able to fight them?" Marth wondered aloud.

"We rally an army," Ike said calmly. "We have everyone here _plus _everyone from our homelands."

"When you look at it that way... it seems like we can't lose!" Roy said with a smile.

"The problem is, it might be hard to rally entire armies from Fire Emblem World," Celice said. "The original members have scattered."

"Many are dead, too," Marth added. "But we still have a lot that are able and willing to fight."

"Yeah," Celice agreed. "That's true."

"Still..." Link said with a brooding expression. "It's going to be hard. It'll be like Purgatory all over again."

"True," Pia said, "but this time, we'll be prepared."

"Knock wood," Aegeus muttered.

"We can also get the non-tainted people from Angel Land," said Pit. "Juliàn, definitely."

"Mem and Ash, too," Aegeus added.

"All right." Pia clapped her hands. "Everyone scatter and contact your friends who are not living here at the current time and are able and available to fight in a long, hard battle!" Then she sighed and dropped her arms. "I killed it, didn't I?"

Link nodded ruefully. "Yeah. Totally."

**Next up: more Fire Emblemers and OCs from Angel Land! Pia's moment kill also came from personal experience... XD**


	58. The Greatest Text Ever

**Yeah... so it's late. And not that great. But you know, I've been kinda busy. And I went to see "The Lion King." Great play, by the way. You should all go see it. But review my story first. Wait... I usually put that at the end. Oh, never mind. I'll put one at the end. Now, about the actual chapter. Once again, if you don't feel like I described the numerous Fire Emblem characters well enough, you can check out the Fire Emblem Wiki or you can leave a question in a review, which I will happily answer. ... Yes, actual writing WILL follow this. Well, goodbye for now! P.S.-the chapter title is kind of a parody of the book "The Greatest Trade Ever." You know, trade, text... greatest... yeah... I'll shut up now.**

"Ready?" Marth asked.

"Ready," Celice confirmed.

"Me too," Ike seconded.

"Yo tambièn!" Roy chimed in.

"Let's do it!" Lyn said determinedly.

The five Lords all simultaneously grabbed their cell phones and began texting a message to everyone they knew, which was a _lot _of people.

_Hey guys its me, (Marth, Ike, Roy, Celice, or Lyn). Me and my friends r in big trouble and we need yur help. log onto vid chat as soon as u can. cya soon!_

Everyone hit "Add all contacts" and sent the message, then put their phones aside and opened their laptops. Immediately, Celice received three chat requests.

"Ah! Cool! That was fast!" Celice engaged all three in a chat. Three faces popped up on Celice's computer screen. The other Lords recognized two of them. One was Aless, one was Yuria, and one, who they didn't recognize, was a tired-looking boy with brown hair and wide brown eyes.

"Aless! Yuria! Leaf!" Celice cried in delight. "It's great to see you!"

The brown-haired boy, who must have been Celice's younger cousin, Leaf, smiled weakly. "Same here, cuz."

"Is it that trouble stuff?" Aless asked gravely.

"Is someone hurt?" Yuria asked in alarm.

"Uh... okay. It is the trouble, Aless, but now we've figured out who we're fighting. All of us-" Celice gestured around the room at the other Lords. "-are rallying our armies once again, to fight this much bigger threat."

"So, should we spread the word?" Yuria asked.

"Yes, Yuria, thank you. That would be helpful. And Leaf, I need to talk to you."

"What is it?" Leaf asked tiredly.

"What's wrong?" Celice asked bluntly.

"He's trying to fight the taint," Aless said before Leaf could open his mouth. "He has a wavering will-not strong, but not exactly weak, either. And it's draining him."

"Hmmm..." Celice looked thoughtful. "That brings me to another point. I have a theory as to how we can stop the taint from spreading and ultimately expel it from our lands."

"What? What is it?" Everyone, including the Lords, asked incredulously.

"Happiness," Celice said simply. "A man we know named Juliàn was tainted, but he recovered the instant he saw his little sister who had been taken from him. Maybe... Leaf, how much time have you spent with Nanna lately?" Nanna, Aless's younger cousin, was Leaf's wife.

"Not much," Leaf admitted. "We've been too busy trying to quell the public."

"And therein lies the problem, cousin. You two need to get together, talk and laugh. Anything. You make each other happy all the time, even if you don't always realize it. As a matter of fact, do that right now. Go get Nanna and talk with her-_really _talk."

Leaf smiled a full smile, as if just the idea of his beloved Nanna made him happy. "Alright, Celice. I'll get her." Leaf signed off, leaving just Yuria and Aless.

"And Aless, Leen might not realize it either, but what she probably likes most is dancing for _you_. Go get her out of those slums and bring her back home, and tell her to dance for you."

Aless smiled, but not as widely as Leaf had. That was just Aless, though-he never smiled all that widely. "Will do, Celice."

"And Yuria..." Celice looked at her. "If _I _don't make you happy... then what does?"

"You _do _make me happy, Celice," Yuria assured him. "It's just..."

"He hasn't been around lately?" Ike suggested.

"Y-yes. That's exactly it." Yuria smiled. "Thank you, Ike."

"No problem, Julia."

"Well... I'll go tell the others to check their phones. Good-bye, Celice and the rest of you!"

"Goodbye-" everyone said, saying either "Yuria" or "Julia."

"I'd better be able to get back home soon," Celice said worriedly. "If not-"

Celice was interrupted by four chat requests on Lyn's computer.

"Oh, good!" Lyn said, accepting all four. Four faces appeared on Lyn's screen. One was a serious-looking man with dark green hair covered by a bandanna, one was a girl with bright pink hair divided into two ponytails, one was a rascally-faced man with green hair held out of his face by a headband, and one was a shy-looking girl with wavy lilac-colored hair.

"Rath! Serra! Sain! Florina! It's great to see you!"

"It's good to see you too, Lyn," the lilac-haired girl, Florina, said.

"What's the problem?" Rath, the serious-looking one, asked sharply.

"Haven't you noticed anything... strange going on? People have been acting different... in bad ways?" Lyn questioned them.

"Come to think of it... Kent's been acting weird lately," Sain said, his sly expression changing to a brooding one. "He seems testy or something, and he yells at me all the time." Kent was Sain's calm, kind best friend, who usually tried to keep the reckless Sain in check.

"Yeah! Totally! I mean, 'cause Erk's been acting super-weird lately!" The pink-haired Serra said energetically about her sullen, book-loving acquaintance. "I mean, like, even more weird than usual, y'know? _All _he does is study, and he snaps at _anyone _who disturbs him!" Serra rolled her eyes. "Well, I know that's usually what he does anyway, but he even snapped at Lord Pent the other day!"

Everyone gasped. Erk idolized Pent. Even though they weren't related, they were incredibly close.

"_That _is weird," Lyn agreed. "Rath, Florina, is anything going on with you?"

Florina blushed and looked down. The quiet Pegasus Knight had always been painfully shy. The no-nonsense Rath rolled his eyes.

"Her sisters have been being mean to her," he explained. "And you're getting almost _too _shy, Florina."

"And is anything going on with you, Rath?" Lyn asked with a touch of softness in her voice. Rath, a nomad from her homeland, Sacae, was an old flame of hers.

"The tribes of Sacae have been fighting," Rath said. "And I mean really fighting. You have to stay with a friend at all times. No one dares walk alone."

"What's going on, Lyn?" Sain asked.

"There is a taint being spread through the entirety of our world. I'm guessing that Florina has been affected; she doesn't seem well. A group of enemies, including the revived Nergal, have planted the taint so as to sway our entire world into darkness and have us join them and eventually take over the entire Universe."

Florina gasped and started shivering. Serra's eyes bugged out and her mouth fell open. Sain leaned back in his chair with a stunned expression on his face. Rath didn't blink.

"So, we fight?" Rath asked simply.

"We fight," Lyn confirmed. "Roy and I are trying to rally an army from Elibe to fight against the enemies. Once our Worlds Teleporter gets fixed and we learn where the enemies are lodging, we'll be able to march right in and fight them."

"We'd better hurry with stopping this darkness thing," Sain said. "Elibe hasn't been doing too well since you and Roy left."

"All of the Lords are dead or have left," Rath agreed. "You'll need someone important to rally us all together."

"How about we all get, like, really important and respected people and have them rally their people?" Serra suggested. "We'll get to work on informing them!"

"Yeah, leave it to us!" Sain seconded.

Lyn smiled. "Aw, that's real sweet, guys, but it's-"

"Lyn, you need all the help you can get. We'll just help you out," Rath cut in. "Leave it to us."

"Okay, then. It's your choice. Bye, guys!" Lyn signed off.

"Whoa. That Rath guy is really down-to-business," Ike said.

"He's my ex," Lyn said, blushing.

"Oh, great. Just what I need. A guy like _that_ mad at me."

"Sorry," Lyn apologized.

"Oh, it's fine."

The Lords waited around a while until Roy got three requests on his laptop. He accepted and three new faces appeared: a girl with Rath's stern face and dark green hair, a cheerful-looking boy with lighter green hair and a quiver slung over his back, and a handsome boy with light blonde hair and bright blue eyes.

"Sue! Wolt! Klein!" Roy cried. "I feel like such a follower for saying that!"

The blonde boy, Klein, regarded Roy quizzically. "What?"

"Never mind," Roy said quickly. "Anyway, Wolt, did you tell everyone about the taint?"

The boy with light green hair nodded. "Yes. As many people as I could, including these two."

"My father told me that you were looking to rally an army," the green-haired girl, Sue, said. "I'm in."

"Me too," Klein agreed. "Wolt told us about the taint... is this about that?"

"Yes. We've figured out that there are a bunch of enemies from Fire Emblem in on this. As soon as we figure out their location-"

"-we march in and take 'em down," Sue finished. She seemed a bit more easygoing than her father, Rath, but still acted serious. "We can do it, Roy."

"By the way, Klein," Roy said slowly, "it seems a bit strange that you would be one to be in on this. I mean... I've known Sue and Wolt for longer, and no offense, but we're closer, and-"

"If it has to do with the taint, I'm with you all the way, Roy," Klein said grimly. "Basically my entire family has gone insane. Clarine is being _unbearable_. I'm her brother, for God's sake, and she's nearly in love with me! And my parents are getting all secretive and moody... ugh. It's too much. We need to stop this."

Roy nodded sympathetically. "Don't worry, Klein. We'll get rid of it. Just make everyone around you happy."

"What?"

"That's the cure. Happiness. Give Clarine a compliment and a smile. Do something nice for your parents. Just try."

Klein nodded slowly. "I'll try."

"We'll get to work on spreading the happiness and stopping the taint," Sue said.

"Yeah! We're with you 100 percent, Master Roy!" Wolt said.

Roy smiled. "Alright... you guys can start that right now, 'kay?" He signed off.

"Two continents down... we still need to speak with people from Tellius and Magvel," Marth said.

"Akeneia... I heard about that a while ago, Marth. I'm sorry," Celice said sympathetically.

"It's alright, Celice," Marth said quietly. "I sent a text to Minerva, Xane, Navarre, and Catria... maybe they're alive somewhere."

Next, Ike's computer "binged" and he received four chat requests.

"Heh. Guess Lyn and I are pretty popular," Ike said as he accepted them.

"It helps that you two have games in English," Roy grumbled.

Four faces appeared on Ike's computer. One was a girl with medium-length light brown hair and bright blue eyes, one was Soren, one was a silver-haired girl with wide golden eyes, and one was a young woman with green hair, the same shade as Lyn's, and golden eyes.

"Mist! Soren! Elincia! And... Micaiah," Ike said, his joyous expression changing to one of contempt as he turned his gaze to the silver-haired girl. In reply, Micaiah sneered.

"Good to see you too, Isaac."

"My name is Ike. It's not short for Isaac..."

"Ike!" The brown-haired girl, who was Ike's little sister, Mist, cried. "I miss you so much! Will I get to see you when I fight?"

"No," Ike said forcefully, suddenly transforming into an overprotective older brother. "There's no way a little cleric like you is fighting all the enemies."

"What? No way! I-"

"Soren sent word to the Crimean royals about the taint," the green-haired girl, Elincia, said quietly. "It _is _affecting us. I can tell."

"I think I understand what's going on," Micaiah started to say, but Ike cut her off.

"Whoa! Pop the champagne and slaughter the cattle, everyone-MICAIAH ACTUALLY UNDERSTANDS SOMETHING!"

"Oh, _do _shut up, Isaac. Anyway, what I've been saying is that Edward isn't as happy as he used to be, Leonardo keeps acting all mopey and moody, and Ilyana-oh my goddess, don't even try. She's _always _complaining, and when she isn't, she's unconscious from hunger."

"Oh, my," Ike said genuinely.

"Nothing's new around the base," Soren said glumly. "Rhys seems to be getting sicker, though."

"If Soren hasn't already explained, we've figured out who some of the enemies controlling the base are..." Ike explained to them about their findings.

"Hm. So we need to be ready to gather our armies together again?" Micaiah asked.

"Yes," Ike said, sounding reluctant to have to agree with her. "Exactly."

"We'll _all _get on that, big brother," Mist said forcefully. "And there's nothing you can say to stop me."

And before Ike _could _say anything, Mist had signed off, along with Soren, Elincia, and Micaiah.

Ike sighed. "Stupid little kid. Always trying to get herself killed."

Marth let out a little involuntary snort. Ike glared at him.

"I guess... I guess the remaining Alteans either aren't alive or they lost their cell phones," Marth said with a shaky sigh.

"Maybe you'll hear something from them tomorrow," Lyn said softly.

"Maybe..." Marth said distantly.

"How are we going to get the armies here, exactly?" Celice asked.

"We'll figure that out when we get to it," Ike said with a small smile.

**Haha! This JUST broke nine pages on my computer. Yay, I guess. And I'll put it again: Please review! XD**


	59. The Beginning of the End

That night, Marth had a dream again. This time, he tried to really concentrate, hoping he would remember it in the morning.

He was still in the same person's body, he could tell, and he was still wearing a black hooded robe. Now, however, he wasn't stiffly seated at a round table. Marth looked down and saw that he, or the person whose body he was inhabiting, was lounging on a couch. He looked up and saw the red-haired, red-eyed man from before sitting across from him on another couch.

"So, Michalis," the red-haired man said. "How long do you think it will be before the brawlers make their next move?"

Marth-well, Michalis, really-tilted his head up to the ceiling.

"Well, keep in mind that they've been trapped in their own world," Marth heard Michalis-himself-say. "And they have no idea where we are."

"True," the redhead snickered. "Then a month or so, would you say?"

"Give or take," Marth said, feeling his lips turn up into a smile. "I think our little taint has been spread too far for them to take much action against it, also. We definitely have the upper hand."

"True again."

There was a silence. Marth tried to figure out what he was exactly-was he Michalis? Was Michalis aware that Marth could hear him? Marth felt what Michalis felt, saw what Michalis saw, did what Michalis did, thought what Michalis thought. Somehow, though, he was still Marth.

"Yurius," Marth felt Michalis say. "Would you say they had a chance?"

Yurius smiled. "Of course not."

...

Marth woke up in a cold sweat.

He sat up, holding his head in his hands. He remembered this time, but he remembered nothing useful. Only that Michalis and Yurius had been speaking, and that neither believed that Marth and his friends had a chance.

Marth got out of bed and ran down the hall to Ike's room. Unlike simply watching Ike sleep, as he had done when he had dreamed about Agamemnon, Marth shook Ike awake.

"Ike! Ike!" Marth hissed.

Ike opened a bleary eye. "Uh?"

"Wake up! This is important!"

"Time izzit?" Ike slurred.

"Doesn't matter. Ike, listen. I had a dream."

"That all men n' women're created equal?" Ike asked woozily.

"No! Ike, listen... I had a dream that I was Michalis."

Ike sat up. "Whaddya mean?" He frowned, growing more alert.

"I... it was like I was him. I saw through his eyes, and thought his thoughts, sort of, and when he spoke, it was like I was speaking. Like it was two souls to a body, except I knew I was dreaming and Michalis didn't know I was there."

"And...?"

"And he was speaking to Yurius, and they were talking about how we didn't have a chance to defeat them and how the taint was spreading and..." Marth took a deep breath. "And we need to hurry up and fix that damn Worlds Teleporter."

"Yurius as in Celice's evil half-brother?" Ike asked.

"Yeah. They're working together, probably with the rest of the enemies."

"Not good."

"Not good at all."

"Did they say anything, y'know, important? Battle plans or something?"

Marth shook his head dejectedly. "Nope. Nothing."

Ike sighed. "Well... I guess we can't really do anything about it, then."

"Nope." Marth turned his face toward Ike's window. "So... um... yeah. I had... a dream."

"A really weird dream."

"Yeah."

"Y'know, that's bad and all, but I'm real tired right now, and..."

"I get it. Talk in the morning?"

"Please." Ike rolled over and pulled the covers above his head.

...

"You... _spoke_... with Yurius?" Celice whispered incredulously.

"It-it wasn't exactly like that," Marth said quickly. "I mean... it's like I was just kind of... seeing the world from Michalis's point of view."

"Weird," Roy said. "So... what helpful info does that give us, exactly?"

"Nothing. Nothing at all," Marth said dejectedly. "I guess I'll tell Pit and Pia and the others when they finish contacting their friends..."

"How many people did they say they'd get?" Ike asked.

"Hmmm... let me see..." Marth thought for a second. "That girl Lykei, for sure, her friend Deidahrah, Shoshanna's boyfriend and his brother, Juliàn Castrejana and some others."

"I hope they can get here in time," Lyn said worriedly.

"Don't worry," Ike reassured her. "As long as we're stuck here, the enemies can't get here either."

"Or so we hope," Celice muttered ominously.

"Pit and Pia said they'd come over soon," Marth said. As he said that, the doorbell gonged.

"I'll get it!" Everyone said, and they all rushed downstairs to greet Pit, Pia, Sasha, Isaiah, Aegeus, and Juliana.

"Hi, guys!" Ike yelled from the top of the stairs.

"Where's Sho?" Celice inquired.

"I don't know," Pia said. "Anyway, we've contacted-"

At that second, a panting Link ran up to the group.

"You guys! Great news!"

"What?" Pit asked eagerly.

"They've fixed the Worlds Teleporter! There's a big ceremony going on in Common Square! C'mon, follow me!"

"Ugh! Are you _serious_?" Pia whined as she and the others followed Link. "I hate not knowing things! And I hate being late! Why didn't they make an announcement or something?" She griped.

"Pia, for the gods' sakes, shut up. We're lucky the Teleporter was fixed so quickly. Stop your damn whining and count your blessings for once." Aegeus said harshly.

Pia's face reddened and she fell silent. Pit grabbed her hand tightly and she gave a small smile.

"Thanks, Pit... but Aegeus, you're right." Suddenly, Pia stopped. Everyone turned to look at her.

"What now?" Aegeus asked impatiently.

"What's that... that..." Pia couldn't find the words and simply pointed. Eveyone turned and gasped.

There was fire and smoke hanging over Common Square. Dark storm clouds had gathered above it, swirling and flashing with lightning. They could hear screaming coming from the area.

"Oh, no!" Lyn shrieked.

"Stay here. Don't do anything stupid," Link said immediately. "I'm going to check that out."

"You can't! It's too dangerous! Don't go! You'll get hurt!" Pia begged him.

"Don't worry," Link assured her. "I'm just going to scope out the are-"

Suddenly, a bolt of lightning from the swirling raincloud struck the Common Square. The screams increased in volume.

"We have to stay here!" Ike said. "Normally I'd be rushing down to help as well, but if whatever's down there is beating all the brawlers, it'd be suicide to go down there!"

Everyone shuddered at the truth of Ike's words and Link unhappily decided to stay put. More lighting flashed. Thunder rumbled. Rain began to fall, freezing droplets that pelted and soaked the miserable group. The stormcloud was now covering most of Brawl World.

Juliana shivered. Pit drew her closer to him. Marth, Roy, and Lyn glanced at each other and knew immediately what each was thinking-this was like a horrible repeat of the Annihilation of Altea.

Eventually, the screams died down.

But it wasn't because the threat had disappeared...

...it was because everyone had been defeated.

The group raced down the the Common, each filled with dread at what he might see. Their fears were confirmed as soon as they set foot in the ravaged Common Square.

Bodies were strewn everywhere, bodies of the brawlers and the Assist Trophies. Link dashed over to the limp bodies of Zelda and Toon Link.

"No," Link whispered. "They can't... can't all be... be..."

"They aren't dead," a voice called from above them. Link's head snapped up, as did everyone else's.

There was a figure hovering in the air above all the destruction-a figure with giant black wings even bigger than Aegeus's. The figure was dressed in short-sleeved black robes that fell to his knees, and he was wearing heavily-strapped black sandals that criss-crossed over his legs up to his knees. He-they knew it was male from his voice-had long, thick, raven-colored straight hair that fell to his ankles and dark olive-colored skin.

Nobody knew who the archangel was... nobody except for the shivering Sasha.

"Michael," he whispered.

**...AND a cliffhanger! I had mixed feelings about this one... how about you? Please don't go too hard on me in your many reviews, though...**


	60. A Surprising Twist

"That's _Michael_?" Isaiah whispered.

Sasha nodded slowly. "In the flesh."

"We're dead," Ike said dejectedly.

Michael slowly descended to the ground, snapping his wings shut in a whoosh of feathers. He regarded the group with an expression of what looked like contempt.

"What're _you _looking at, murderer?" Roy growled in a low voice.

Michael's eyes flashed. He waved his hand in a motion that suggested he was trying to flick away a fly. Within maybe half a second, a bolt of lightning shot down from the stormclouds and struck Roy, who collapsed on the spot.

Lyn whimpered and pressed her knuckles to her mouth, but no one else could move due to fear.

Suddenly, Michael's shoulders sagged a bit and he let out a small sigh. A staff materialized in his hand-a beautiful, intricately carved wooden staff with a strange glass orb at the top-and he leaned on it heavily.

"A-are y-y-you..." Pia wanted to ask if he was alright, but she was shaking too hard to even get the words out.

"He's not dead," Michael said wearily. He actually had a very nice voice; charming, smooth and warm. "And neither are any of the others. They won't wake up for a while, though."

"You're still a murderer," Pit whispered bravely, although his voice still shook. "What about all those people you killed, all those villages you destroyed for no reason?"

Michael gestured vaguely with his hand, and everyone tensed, expecting lightning to strike.

"And look where that got me. I was dead up until about a week ago."

"Why didn't you kill everyone, then?" Pia asked with genuine confusion.

"Why would I?" Michael responded. "What've they done to me?"

"Okay, that's it. What's going on with you?" Aegeus demanded, taking a step forward. "You're the Archangel Michael. You would never think twice about murdering defenseless villagers. What's the deal?"

Michael rolled his eyes. "Oh, I don't know. It's not like that Lilith chick is controlling and monitoring basically every... single... thing... I do. It's not like she practically _enslaved _me and my brothers with, oh, I don't know, a necklace or something." Michael lifted up some of his thick black hair to reveal a necklace of sorts, made of a swirling red-and-black metallic substance. "And it's not like I absolutely _despise _her_ guts_ so much that I'd be willing to give away valuable information to the so-called 'Team Smash Brawlers.'" Michael's fingers sketched quotation marks around the words. Then he paused and stared up at the gray sky, as if he were seriously contemplating something. Then he shook his head. "Nah. It couldn't be anything like _that_, no sir."

"So..." Marth said after a short silence. "Saying, hypothetically, Lilith _was _controlling you... would you be willing to defect to our side if she was taken out of the picture?"

Michael shrugged. "Hey, anything to escape that-"

Pit covered Juliana's ears.

"So, anyway," Michael went on, casually leaning on his staff. "Your Worlds Teleporter is fixed and-oh, look, I seem to have forgotten to reset the settings on it that, when accessed, would tell you exactly where I have just come from." Michael brought his hand to his forehead in mock alarm. "Oh, dear."

"You seriously would tell us that?" Ike said incredulously. "Where the enemies are lodging?"

Michael widened his eyes innocently. "What? I didn't tell you anything. I merely pitched a thought of the preposterous idea that my brothers and I have been enslaved and imprisoned by that blonde-" Michael repeated the word he had used earlier to describe Lilith, prompting Pit to again shield Juliana. "-and mentioned that I forgot to erase the history of your Worlds Teleporter."

The group stared at Michael for a few seconds before dashing over to the Worlds Teleporter.

"There's no time to rally the rest of our armies," Marth said. "We'll have to summon only the people who have already contacted us."

"We can do that from here," Link said, dashing over to the Teleporter. "But I'll have to literally forcibly summon them to wherever we're going to be going, not just contact them." He started typing furiously on the keyboard. "Let's see... if they've contacted us recently, their technological info should be recorded in our records... and... okay. They're set to arrive in..." Link checked the aforementioned-by-Michael history and his eyes widened. "The Underworld of Angel Land?"

"Where'd you expect, Ordon Village?" Michael asked sarcastically, examining his fingernails.

Link shuddered and turned back to the screen. "Anyway... they'll be arriving there in about five minutes. Everybody in!"

Marth, Ike, Pit, Pia, Aegeus, Isaiah, Sasha, Lyn, Celice, and Juliana all piled into the Teleporter, which expanded to fit all of them.

"Leaving in T-minus thirty... twenty-nine..." An automated voice informed them.

"You might want to bring your friend," Michael suggested, lazily poking the forgotten Roy with his foot.

"Roy!" Marth dashed out to help the small, ginger-haired Lord. Michael put his hand on Roy's head and he jolted to life.

"Whoa! Who-what-when-where-how-who..." Roy winced and rubbed his temples. "Urgh... I want a Tic-Tac."

"Kid loves his Tic-Tacs," Ike commented as Marth and Roy dashed into the Teleporter.

"Wait!" Pit cried. "We can't bring Juliana into all this!"

"Well, it's not like we can leave her here," Aegeus responded.

"I'll take care of her," Michael promised. "Trust me."

Pit regarded the dangerous-looking archangel dubiously. "Are you sure?"

"I swear upon the Lord and all that is holy I won't hurt her," Michael said, taking the little girl by the hand. "Good luck!"

"T-minus three... two... one..."

In a flash of blinding white light, the entire group disappeared. Michael shielded Juliana's eyes.

The two oddly paired angels stared at each other. Michael smiled, but Juliana looked away shyly.

"So..." Michael said, glancing around at the ravaged Common Square. "Everyone's asleep, you know. We can go anywhere you want."

"Anywhere?" Juliana asked, perking up.

"Anywhere in Brawl World."

Juliana grabbed Michael's hand and started dragging him toward the ice cream parlor.

"Have you ever had any iced cream before?" Juliana asked.

"No," Michael answered.

"Never?" Juliana asked incredulously. "Then you need to have some right now."

Michael smiled resignedly. "All right. Whatever you like, little one."

"They said to me that you are scary," Juliana said, her eyebrows furrowing. "But you are not scary. You are nice."

**This chapter has a few hidden jokes (not so hidden now, ha ha) and inspirationed things. Roy's desire for Tic-Tacs was influenced by the Wisdom Tooth girl who was on Ellen one time. I got the idea for Michael and Juliana's coversation from an episode of **_**Avatar: The Last Airbender**_**. (I was young once, okay?) Anyway... it seems like Lilith is so horrible that Michael's had a change of heart, luckily for our heroes. Please re-oh, you know what I'm going to say. Just do it!**


	61. New Friends, Old Friends, and a Surprise

Pit, Pia, Marth, Ike, Link, Lyn, Roy, Celice, Aegeus, and Sasha landed in the Underworld with an "oomph"-all piling on top of a disgruntled Isaiah.

"I am not a cushion! Get off!" He cried indignantly. Everyone obeyed and rolled off, groaning.

"I think I broke my tailbone," Ike winced.

"I think I fractured my coccyx," Isaiah grumbled, picking himself off the ground.

"That means the same thing, just in fancier terms," Pia pointed out.

"Oh, shut up. You landed on top." Isaiah flexed his slightly rumpled wings.

"Point."

"What should we do now, do you think?" Celice asked.

"We should wait here for our recruits," Pia suggested. "It'll only be a couple minutes, right, Link?"

Link nodded. "I don't know exactly who's coming. It's just anyone who contacted us at our Brawl accounts within the last few days."

"NOOOOOOO!" Ike shouted. "That means the Silver-Haired Dog is coming! Argh! Her, of all people? Seriously, Ashunera?"

"Micaiah might be mean, but she _is _powerful," Marth said consolingly. "At least it's not Aimee."

"True," Ike said with a small shudder. "But that means that my little sister is coming, too..."

"Aw. Can't wait to meet her," Aegeus said.

"She's a cleric, right?" Sasha asked. "That's good. I could use a break."

"Speaking of you, Sasha, we need to keep our eyes out for your ancestor and his other friend," Pit said seriously.

"Raphael and Gabriel?" Isaiah asked.

"Yeah," Pia said. "They might not cut us as much slack as Michael did, and they're both nearly as powerful as him."

The group was silent for a while, drifting into their own thoughts, when the green-clothed warrior cut through the tranquility.

"I wonder where we are exactly?" Link asked curiously. They were standing on steaming, cracked black rocks and were surrounded by a warm, dense gray fog. It reminded them slightly of Purgatory, but this place felt more real, somehow. More solid.

"It's hot," Roy said cheerfully. "I kinda like it."

"This is hell, Roy," Marth said, raising his eyebrows. "This is _hell_."

"And trust me, kid," Aegeus said wisely, "you're only a visitor here. Once you're a permanent resident..." He drew a pale finger across his throat and made a "chhhk" sound. "You wouldn't last a day of the torture here. Guarantee."

Roy shivered. "And suddenly, I feel rather cold."

"It's better than Purgatory," Lyn said.

"That's debatable," Aegeus said thoughtfully.

"How long 'til the reinforcements come, anyway?" Ike grumbled.

As he said this, about twenty or so forms began to materialize above them. Quickly, the people on the ground scattered just as the forms became solid and fell to the ground with an even louder "oomph."

"Ugh..." A tall blond man said, sitting up and rubbing his head. "What... was..."

"Aless!" Celice cried, dashing over to hug his best friend. "It's great to see you!"

"Great to see you too, Celice, but where exactly...?"

"Hell!" Celice said, still smiling.

"O-kay," Aless said slowly, raising his eyebrows.

"The whole rallying our armies thing had to happen a lot sooner than we had previously thought," Marth explained. "We were hit by a surprise attack not too long ago."

"Luckily, the perpetrator was unhappy with his superiors and decided to help us out," Link said. "He told us that this is where their base was."

"That is... if we can trust him," Pit said quietly. "You never know."

"Who was this, exactly?" Juliàn asked, getting up.

Pit took a deep breath. "Um, Juliàn. Here's the thing."

"Is it about Juliana? Is she all right? Is she hurt?" Juliàn asked, his voice growing more and more alarmed as he went on.

"We... um... had to leave her behind." Pit shifted nervously from foot to foot.

"We didn't think it would be safe to take her with us here..." Lyn began.

"...so we had to leave her back at Brawl World," Pia finished. "Which kind of left us between a rock and a hard place."

"_Por què_? What is so bad about leaving her there? You were right not to take her here, though, so thank you. But why is it bad to leave her there?"

"Well, uh, so you see..." Pit started to say, hemming and hawing.

"Look. Juliàn, we're sorry, but there wasn't much else we could do. We had to leave your sister with the Archangel Michael." Aegeus broke in forcefully.

A silence came over everyone present from Angel Land. The people from Fire Emblem grasped that something was wrong and chose to remain silent as well.

"Michael?" Juliàn whispered in incredulity. "The Archangel Michael? This... is who you leave my sister with?"

"Juliàn. We'll talk about this later. It needed to be done." Aegeus said with an air of finality, apparently using the tough-love approach.

"_Lo siento_, Juliàn. We're sorry," Pia said apologetically.

"Michael has been resurrected?" Lykei gasped.

Aegeus nodded. "So have the other two."

"But Michael-if we can trust him-said that he, Gabriel, and Raphael are really mad at Lilith for enslaving them," Pia said. "That means that if we can break the enchantment put on them, we might be able to sway them to our side."

"But for now... can we just have some mushy moments while we reunite with our friends?" Ike asked.

Pia smiled. "Of course!"

Celice ran to his younger cousin and hugged him tightly. "I missed you, Leaf!"

Leaf smiled a full smile, one that reached hs eyes. "Missed you too, cuz."

Celice's half-sister/girlfriend, Yuria, ran up to him and embraced him. "Oh, Celice," she whispered. "I missed you the most."

"Ike!" Mist shrieked as she ran up to Ike and nearly barreled him over with a hug. "I missed you so much! I'm so glad to see you again!"

Ike smiled. "Great to see you too, sis."

"Ike. It's so nice to see you again," Elincia said with a smile. Ike blushed a little.

"Nice to see you, Rath," Lyn said loudly, giving her ex-boyfriend a hug.

"Great to see you, Lyn," Sain smiled.

"Yeah, I missed you a lot!" Serra said, just as energetically as always.

"It's nice to see you, Lyn," Florina mumbled.

"Master Roy! I can't believe how long it's been!" Wolt cried as he hugged his milk-brother.

"Me neither, Wolt. And I told you, you can drop the 'master' thing."

Wolt grinned. "Sorry, Master Roy, I'm just so happy to see you!"

"It's nice to see you," Sue greeted Roy in her low, hoarse voice. Then she turned to her father, Rath. "It's nice to see you too, Dad." Rath smiled at her.

"It's nice to meet all you people!" Micaiah said excitedly.

"I'm so sure," Ike spat under his breath. Micaiah didn't hear, but Soren did, and he and Ike shared a look.

"Um... big brother?" Mist asked, sounding a bit concerned. "That guy... kinda looks like you."

"Oh, that's Aegeus. He's my guardian angel. Aegeus, this is my little sister, Mist."

"Nice to meet you," Aegeus said, giving Mist a salute. "These are my friends, Agamemnon and Ashliela."

Agamemnon and Ashliela looked very much alike. Both twins had dark golden hair, freckles, and black eyes like Aegeus's. Their wings looked like his as well, but they were smaller, about the size of Pit and Pia's. Agamemnon looked a bit shy, his dark eyes skipping from person to person in hope of receiving a smile. Most of the time, he did. Ashliela had long, intricately braided golden pigtails that reached to her waist and a regal, almost cold expression on her face and in her eyes.

"You two remind me of these twins I know, Skasaher and Lakche," Celice commented thoughtfully.

"What, the boy's a pansy and the girl's tough?" Ashliela joked.

Agamemnon's face flushed. "I'm not a pansy. You're just masculine," he fired back.

"Lakche is more impulsive and hotheaded than Skasaher," Aless offered.

"So I was right," Ashliela said, flashing a triumphant smile at her twin.

Agamemnon rolled his eyes and said nothing.

"Is this everyone?" Pit asked.

"Let's see... me, you, Marth, Ike, Link, Lyn, Roy, Celice, Aegeus, Sasha, and Isaiah were here originally, that makes eleven," Pia counted. "Arriving from Jugdral: Aless, Leaf, and Julia, that makes fourteen. Rath, Serra, Sain, and Florina is eighteen; Klein, Sue, and Wolt make twenty-one; Mist, Soren, Elincia, and Micaiah make twenty-five, and Juliàn, Lykei, Mem and Ash make twenty-nine."

"Too bad there isn't one more," Lyn said. "Then there'd be an even thirty."

"Wait..." Pia squinted, trying to see something. "Who's that over there?"

Lying about ten feet away from the group was another figure, apparently knocked unconscious by the fall. Everyone rushed toward her, their expressions changing from alarm to confusion as they saw her unfamiliar face.

"I've never seen that girl before," Ike said confusedly.

"Neither have I," Celice said. "Who is that?"

The mystery girl had short blue hair down to her chin and was wearing a headband similar to Celice's. She wore a short dress-like tunic under a white breastplate and wore high-heeled blue boots that went up to the tops of her thighs. In her hand, she was clutching a lance.

Marth let out a little cry and fell to his knees beside the girl.

"What? Is that Shiida?" Link asked.

"No, no..." Marth moaned. "It's Catria, a Pegasus Knight... she was a good friend of mine..." He shook her shoulders, trying to wake her up.

"Catria! Please wake up!" He begged.

After only a bit of coaxing, Catria's bright blue eyes fluttered open.

"Prince... Marth?" She whispered.

"Catria! You're alright!" Marth said joyfully, his eyes lighting up.

"Yeah... I only got your text a little while ago," she explained as Marth and Ike helped her sit up. "I've been hiding out in Barensia. I don't know where anyone else is; as you know, practically everyone was killed. Tiki went to sleep again, and I don't know where Gotoh is."

"What about Navarre and Xane and Minerva?" Marth asked.

"Xane might be alive... somewhere. I don't know anything about Navarre. Minerva... word has it that Michalis took her and Maria away somewhere." The tough, no-nonsense Minerva was the older of the evil Michalis's younger siblings. Maria was the younger sibling of both, who Michalis had a soft spot for.

"Then they must be here, with Michalis!" Marth said. Then he hugged a happily surprised Catria.

"But for now, you're the only other good Akeneian alive... and you'd better stay that way."

Catria smiled weakly. "I hope I do, my prince."

"And now, plus her, we have thirty people!" Pia said, clapping her hands in delight. "It's nice to meet you," she addressed Catria. "You must have been through a lot."

"I have been," Catria sighed. "My sisters are dead, and so is everyone else from Akeneia, let alone Medon..."

"I'm so sorry, Catria," Marth whispered.

"We should get moving," Catria said, blushing at Marth's caring attitude towards her. "Where will we be going, exactly?"

"Didn't exactly think about that," Pit said dejectedly.

"And with all this mist, you can't even see," Celice said, squinting as Pia had earlier.

"Wait." Ike stared upwards. "It looks like the warm air is cooling and falling as it rises. See, look up there." Ike pointed to where he was staring, where the thick, dense mist seemed to thin out a bit. "And it looks like the warm air is hard to see through, but at the top, when it cools, it clears also. How about one of the angels flies up there and scopes out the landscape?"

Roy gaped at Ike. "For all the flak I give you about your intelligence, that actually sounded pretty intelligent."

Ike smiled. "It was a great hypothesis." He looked at Marth and the two smiled at their old joke.

"Yeah, Ike," Pia said, sounding impressed. "It almost seems like you take Earth Science in your spare time."

"I'll fly up," Isaiah volunteered. He jumped into the air and ascended quickly. The newcomers from Fire Emblem, excepting Mist, Soren, Elincia, and Micaiah (who had already had many interactions with angel-like creatures) gaped at the angels, apparently having just fully noticed them.

"That... that's a little creepy," Aless said, his eyebrows raised.

"Ooooh, I didn't know angels really existed," Serra said in awe.

"The closest I've come to seeing one is seeing a pegasus," Klein added.

"It's not as creepy as incest," Aegeus fired back at Aless.

Aless didn't bat an eyelash. "Touchè, angel."

Isaiah dropped back down to the ground. "I can definitely see some sort of fortress in the distance," he reported. "But it's very far away, and the path there looks treacherous."

"Hazardous," Juliàn corrected. "And English is my second language."

"Hazardous, treacherous, whatever. Bottom line: it's gonna be tough to get there."

"So what are we waiting for?" Pia asked. "Let's go!"

Isaiah pointed them in the right direction, and off they went.

**Very long, with not much meat and mostly fluff. Speaking of which, I recently read a book about meat, but that's besides the point. Anyway... yay! We finally have a rep from Marth's country here! AND I AM NOW ABLE TO UUUUUPDATE! YAY! If I counted wrong and there actually aren't thirty... oh well. That was actually completely unplanned... I never expected the numbers to work out like that. Also... has anyone noticed that the basically illiterate and "dumb" Ike has been coming up with many very good hypotheses? If you can tell me which famous character his personality is like, you get a cookie. Or at least a PM. And yes, I did reference my hatred of Earth Science. Please re-you know what? I'll do something new this time. Please C&C (comment and critique)! **


	62. Landing on Normandy Beach

**Suspension of disbelief time! Okay, for one thing, don't nitpick about "how could Marth see their faces if they're a hundred feet away?" Let's just say that he has really good vision and their faces were really distinct.**

Having a larger group seemed to boost the entire team's morale. It reminded the Fire Emblemers of the good old days they had spent with their armies, lots of people seemed to be hitting it off, and everyone felt more confident.

"Why do they call you the Black Knight?" Ike asked Aless.

Aless shrugged. "Well, as you can see, I'm dressed in black." He gestured at his black tunic, leggings, cape, and breastplate. "Besides that... I'm not sure. Why?"

"My father was murdered by someone called the Black Knight," Ike said quietly.

"Oh. Well... I don't know who that is, and I never killed anyone's father."

"Oh, I know it's not you, I just wanted you to know."

"Ah. Noted, then, that my title is also the title of the man who killed your father."

"Not really a great way to start a conversation, Ike," Aegeus said.

Nearby, Roy and Leaf also seemed to be making good friends.

"So you're saying that _you _never get taken seriously either?" Leaf asked Roy.

"Never! I'm basically regarded as the red-haired runt."

"I'm just known as Celice's chocolate-haired cousin, then," Leaf said with a smile.

"And guys _never _seem to appreciate your obvious beauty?" Serra asked Micaiah incredulously.

"Almost never," Micaiah answered dejectedly.

"You poor thing! I know _exactly _how you feel," Serra said consolingly.

"It's nice to see that everyone's in good spirits," Link commented to Rath.

Rath smiled, which was a rarity. "Yes. It gets my spirits up too." Then his smile faded. "But we can't forget our position. We need to have our guards up as well as our spirits."

"You're right, Rath," Link agreed. "Hey, everyone? Um, could you quiet down for a second, please?"

The conversation slowly died down and everybody turned respectfully towards Link.

"All right. Okay, so, it's great that we're making friends and all, but we can't forget where we are right now. We're in hell, and we're all _way _out of our homelands."

"Plus, traps and tricks could pop up at any second," Pit chimed in. "We all need to be prepared."

"There seems to be an abundance of archers here," Marth commented. "That's good, because we'll probably have to attack from a distance."

"Could all the archers get in a group, please, so we know how many we have?" Pia asked politely.

Rath, Sue, Wolt, Klein, Pit, Agamemnon, and Ashliela clumped together in a group.

"Seven. That's good."

"So long as we don't run out of arrows," Klein reminded them.

"We can't run out," Pit, Agamemnon, and Ashliela said in unison. They looked at each other and giggled.

"How about everyone gets into those groups?" Marth suggested. "Lance users, sword users, mages, clerics, everyone."

Everybody grouped up slowly.

"Alright," Marth said. "Head count... okay. For the swordfighters, we have: myself, Ike, Link, Lyn, Roy, Celice, Aegeus, Aless, Leaf, and Juliàn. That's ten."

"For the lance users: me, Florina, Elincia, and Catria. That's four," Sain said, wiggling his eyebrows devilishly. "Hel-lo, ladies." Florina giggled nervously while Catria and Elincia slapped both sides of his face at the same time.

"For the mages: myself, Julia, Micaiah, and Lykei. That's four as well," Soren said, making a face. Unlike Sain, he had no real interest in women. Or love in general, really.

"For the clerics: myself, Serra, and Mist, that's three," Sasha said.

"And abstaining are Pia and Isaiah..." Pit said. "What's up, guys?"

Isaiah scowled. "I use axes, but I left them at home. And I know Pia does also."

Pia pouted. "And you know I can't aim well with this thing, and I'm not ambidextrous like you!" She said in an irritated tone, brandishing her bow.

"Hmmm. That could be a small problem. But I bet there'll be some weapons in the enemies' base. You guys could use those."

"Ooooh, I hope there are," Pia said worriedly.

"Me too," Isaiah said dejectedly.

The group walked on through the steam. Everyone was tense and jumped at small noises. The friendly, cheerful chatter had disappeared, to be replaced with a heavy, depressing silence.

After what seemed like hours, the shape of a gigantic stone fortress came into view. The closer the group walked to it, the scarier it looked. It was very tall, with a tall, wide door. Jets of fire spurted up from the ground all around the door, and there were numerous flaming torches that stood on the castles's turrets. The height of the fortress appeared to be around one hundred feet.

"Too easy," Link muttered. "Where are the guards?"

Ike glanced upwards. "There."

Everyone's eyes followed Ike's finger. Standing on the flat roof of the castle was a small, motionless army of archers, mages, and pegasus knights. However, something seemed odd about them.

"Morphs," Lyn, Rath, Sain, Serra, and Florina gasped.

"They are created from the life essence of fallen soldiers, and created to be perfect human beings. They're ridiculously hard to defeat, and I'd say we're up against about five or six," Soren recited in awe.

The army of morphs remained still. So did the group of warriors. Suddenly, one among the good group of warriors gasped.

"Prince Marth? What is it?" Catria asked in alarm.

"Catria," Marth said in a cracked voice. "Look-look more closely. At their... faces."

Catria squinted to see better. Her eyes grew wide and she gasped as well.

"What's wrong? What's going on?" Pia asked.

"They're our friends," Marth whispered. "It's the dead Akeneians. Look at the archers." Marth pointed with a shaking finger. "I know... they all have black hair and gold eyes... but I can... I can tell. That's Gordin. And Jeorge. And the mages... Wendell, and Linde..." Marth spoke in a tremulous voice. "The pegasus knights..." he whispered, "Catria... your... sisters..."

Catria pressed her knuckles to her mouth and tried not to break down in tears. Agamemnon put his arm around her shoulders, and she sniffed a "thanks."

"We have to run," Link said in a low voice.

"What?" Ike asked.

"We have to run straight ahead. It's the only way. We can't fight back. We have to run as fast as we can toward that door.

"As soon as we move they'll start shooting at us and dive-bombing us. We just need to run. It's risky, but it's the only choice."

"On the count of three," Ike said determinedly. "One... two... THREE!"

Everyone started tearing toward the doors. Immediately, arrows whistled down all around them. It was impossible not to get hit. Leaf took a hard hit that went right through his upper arm. He screamed in pain, but didn't stop running. Mist went down after she got hit in the thigh. Ike roared in anger, picked her up, and kept running. Sain got slashed right on the side of his face, leaving a gaping wound. The slower but sturdier people-Ike, Aless, Aegeus, Link, and Rath-were all hit multiple times, but forged onwards with grm determination.

When the considerably weaker group reached the halfway point, the evil morph versions of Gordin and Jeorge were joined by the morph mages Linde and Wendell. Powerful Light and Thunder magic blasts joined the hail of arrows. Klein was blasted backwards by an Aura beam, but managed to roll to his feet and rejoin the group. Sue and Serra were also hit by the powerful spell. It looked like they weren't going to make it, but Aless and Rath, at great personal risk, helped the girls to their feet.

When the bloody, bedraggled group of tired warriors was almost to the door, the morph versions of Catria's sisters, Palla and Est, swooped down and caught Soren and Micaiah on their sides. Luckily, the Silent Master of the Winds and the Priestess of Dawn were able to launch a counterattack of Rexcalibur and Ellight, silencing the imitation pegasus knights.

Aless raced forward and broke down the door with his mighty demonic sword, Mistletain, and he and Aegeus helped everyone inside. Just as they stepped in after everyone else, the door sealed up and turned into a magic force-field, trapping the group inside the enemy fortress.

"Who's hurt?" Link asked immediately, grimacing from the pain in his foot and shoulder.

Over half the group raised their hands. Sasha quickly healed Serra and Mist, who scampered around to heal everyone else.

"Leave us for last," Ike commanded as Mist rushed to him. "Heal the weaker ones first."

Mist sighed and rushed to Leaf, whose face was ghastly pale from blood loss. He had been the first one hit and had lost the most blood. It took a while for color to return to his face after Mist healed him.

Serra rushed to Sain. After healing him, she took some extra time to clean the blood off his face. He returned the favor with a weak smile.

Sasha used his special healing power to heal Klein and Sue of their magic-induced injuries, and healed Soren and Micaiah as well.

After the clerics were finished healing the weaker injured people, they moved on to the seriously hurt stronger people. Ike, Aless, Aegeus, Link, and Rath had been riddled with arrows and battered by the magic. Their clothes were covered in blood.

They all stayed there a while, just resting.

"Thank goodness none of the weaker people were seriously hurt," Celice murmured. All of the Lords had been hit at least once. Of the Lords, Ike was the most injured. "Yuria, Florina, Mist, Serra, Lykei... it could have been so much worse..."

"Tell me about it," Aless grumbled. "You guys are faster. Harder to hit."

"We're fast and weak, and you're strong and slow," Lykei said quietly. "It all evens out."

Suddenly, there was a rumbling above them. Everyone sprang to their feet and listened.

A huge army of non-human-based morphs came charging at them from the staircase, which they were lying in front of. There were two corridors to escape to, to the left and right. Half the group went left and half the group went right. On either side, Aless and Aegeus slammed the entrances to the corridors shut, sealing them in and locking the gigantic, unbeatable army outside.

A tremulous Marth turned to face his group. "Head count. Fifteen. Let's see... who've we got? Everybody say your name. Marth."

"Pia."

"Lyn."

"Roy."

"Isaiah."

"Aless."

"Yuria."

"Sain."

"Serra."

"Sue."

"Soren."

"Wolt."

"Catria."

"Lykei."

"Agamemnon."

"That all?" Marth asked. "Okay. That leaves Pit, Ike, Link, Celice, Aegeus, Sasha, Leaf, Rath, Florina, Klein, Mist, Elincia, Micaiah, Juliàn, and Ashliela in the other group." Marth sighed, looking up at the dark, forboding hallway in front of them. "Let's go."

**Why did I split them, you ask? Well, it's easier and more interesting to have two groups. Besides, they're both decently sized for a battle. More coming soon!**


	63. Traps and Tricks

Ike squinted ahead into a dark, misty hallway. "Stick close together, everyone."

"It's like Purgatory," Sasha whispered. "Except for we're inside."

"What's Purgatory?" Rath asked.

"You don't want to know." Celice shivered.

"We aren't going to try to reunite the groups, are we?" Pit asked.

Ike shook his head. "Nah. I think it's easier this way. Besides, the groups are big enough so that we're not in any great danger of being outnumbered."

"Being outnumbered is why we split up in the first place!" Mist reminded him with an eye roll. "Our group is decent-sized, but now we can't afford to relax. We need to have our guards up."

"True, Mist," Elincia agreed. "We need our guards up now more than ever."

"Who knows what kind of traps lay in wait for us here," Pit muttered.

Soon after he said that, a form of a man began to materialize from within the mist.

"Stay back," Aegeus hissed, flexing his wings. Florina whimpered and shied away from him a bit. Aegeus shot a "_what did I tell you?_" glance to Pit.

The blurry-formed man spoke. "My son?" He said in a clear, regal voice. "What business do you have here?"

"No one here is a son of yours," Ike said evenly. "Get out of here before we're forced to kill you."

The man stepped closer. He had messy blue hair and matching eyes, and an expression of confusion was easily readable on his incredibly familiar face.

Celice's jaw dropped open and the Tyrfing slipped from his grasp. "F-father?" He whispered. "But you're... y-you..."

"This is the land of the dead, my son. This is where I reside." He held out a hand to the hypnotized Celice. "Come with me. Join me and your mother. You can see your family for the first time. Leave your old life behind. Come, Celice, come with me."

Celice stared at his father with dull, glazed eyes. Then he slowly began walking toward him with his hand outstretched.

"Celice!" Ike yelled. "What the hell do you think you're doing? Get back here!" He rushed up and grabbed Celice's arm. There was a blinding flash of electricity, and Ike wrenched his hand back.

"H-he... _burned _me," Ike winced as Mist rushed forward to heal him.

"Do not listen to him," the false Sigurd went on, still beckoning to Celice. "Come with me."

Celice's skin was beginning to drain of color. His form was becoming transparent. He continued to walk toward the thing that was taking the form of his father.

"Celice!" Aegeus yelled. "That isn't your father! I'll prove it!" At this, Aegeus rushed up to the misty form of the imitation Sigurd Baldos Chalphy with his sword drawn, preparing to cut through him. There was another flash of light, and Aegeus was thrown back, nearly knocked unconscious.

Celice almost seemed like part of the mist by now. His eyes had lost all emotion, and his skin was almost completely transparent and deathly pale. He had almost reached his "father" and they were about to touch hands when Celice's timid cousin rushed forward and grabbed Celice's arm. Leaf's body shook with electricity, but he refused to let go.

"Celice!" Leaf cried, gritting his teeth in pain. "Look at me! He isn't your father. Come back to us. _We're _your family, Celice. We're the ones you grew up with. Adean, Oifey, Skasaher, Lakche, Rana, Lester... Celice! Open your eyes!"

Celice turned toward Leaf with dead, empty eyes. Leaf's own eyes rolled up into the back of his head from the continuous shocks, but with great effort, he managed to keep speaking.

"Come back, Celice. Come home. With us. Your true family."

Celice still didn't respond, and turned back to his "father." The false Sigurd smiled wickedly.

"Celice!" Leaf yelled, and the quiet, self-conscious prince drew his sword and stabbed his cousin in the shoulder.

Celice blinked, then howled in pain. It seemed to bring him to his senses. Clutching his shoulder, he scowled at the imitation of his father.

"How dare you," he hissed in a low voice that shook with anger. "How dare you take the form of my father, the great warrior Sigurd Baldos Chalphy?" Celice reached out a hand and savagely swiped it through the misty hologram. It didn't have any effect on the transparent form.

The false Sigurd sneered at the group. "This isn't the last you've heard from me, Team Smash Brawlers." And he disappeared.

Mist rushed forward to heal Celice, and Sasha revitalized a shaken Leaf. Celice was darkly muttering curses under his breath.

"Aless would have used brute force to save him, and Julia would have used pure love. Leaf did both," Link murmured in admiration.

"Good job, Leaf," Aegeus said with a smile. "Things aren't always what they seem, are they?" He winked at Pit.

"Yeah," Pit agreed with a grin. "You look weak, but you're really quite tough."

...

Turning a corner, Marth's group encountered a flight of stairs.

"What d'you think's at the top?" Isaiah asked curiously.

"Dunno," Sue shrugged.

"Can't you fly up and find out?" Serra asked innocently.

"Flying is no different than walking," Isaiah said patiently. "I'll be in just as much danger as you would be."

"But you're an angel," Serra replied, sounding puzzled. "Can't you, like, do a whole bunch of celestial ooga-booga?"

Isaiah sighed, walked over to her, and put his arm around her shoulders. "Serra, let me spell a few things out for you..."

"No time, 'Saiah. We need to keep moving," Pia said cheerfully. "Look!"

Propped up against the side of a stone wall was a display of axes. Isaiah looked at Pia.

"Trap?"

"Oh, most definitely."

"Go for it?"

"Totally." She and Isaiah dashed toward the display and each grabbed two axes. After they did so, there was a faint "_click_."

"Hmmm. Looks like we just alerted them to something," Pia said unconcernedly. "Huh. At least we have decent weapons now." Pia separated her bow and hooked it to her side. She also strapped one axe to an axe-holder behind her back, but kept the other at the ready in her hand.

"How do you manage that if you have wings?" Sue asked boldly.

Pia shrugged. "We get by."

Isaiah, who had kept both axes in his hands, rolled his eyes. "How do you make clothes when you have arms and legs? It's just another appendage to work around."

"Well phrased, 'Saiah," Agamemnon smiled.

"You... Agamemnon, is it?" Aless asked. "Why are your wings black when all the others' are white?" He paused. "Personally, I think yours are cooler, but why?"

Agamemnon smiled. "It's because I'm more powerful," he said truthfully.

Aless smiled. "You're all right, kid. You're all right."

...

Lilith smiled as she heard a small buzzing in her ear. She swiveled her thronelike chair around to face two surly, motionless figures.

"They've gotten deep enough so that you can go after them," she said sweetly. "Go on, now."

Without a word, the two turned and began walking towards opposite doors leading out of the chamber.

"Oh... wait a moment." They turned, arching their eyebrows in anticipation.

"Gabriel... if you're thirsty, you can take your pick from the group."

One of the figures smiled, showing pointed teeth. "As you wish, Lady Lilith."

**Yes, he is a vampire. But he's anti-Twilight. Don't worry. Again, you may need a refresher on the archangels... see Pit's Story for more. Please C&C!**


	64. Hot and Cold

**If you want a little description as to what Aless is wearing, search "fire emblem treasure book aless" in Google Images. As for Soren, just search "soren fire emblem" and you'll get it. I feel really, really sorry for those two.**

Yuria shivered.

"How can you be cold? I'm _sweltering_," Sain complained.

"Me too," Soren said irritably. "Heavy black robes are _not _ideal Underworld garb."

Marth wiped sweat from his forehead. "It's not necessarily cold," he said. "It could be pressure or something. I mean, we don't even know where the heck we're going."

"Just kinda making it up as we go along," Pia agreed.

Yuria nodded. "Yes, Marth... I'm hot as well, but something here just seems... eerie. Foreboding."

"Not good," Roy supplied.

Despite herself, Yuria had to smile. "Yes, thank you. Not good."

"We _are _in hell," Aless reminded her. "Look at me. I am completely clad in black and you don't hear _me _complaining." He paused. "Okay. Now you hear me complaining, and I've been through a lot."

"Can we take a rest break or something?" Serra whined. "I'm _burning_ hot and my feet are _killing _me."

"Rest break," Marth announced. He, along with everyone else, flopped down onto the floor.

"I feel so sorry for you two," Lykei said in pity to Soren and Aless, who were clearly suffering. Lykei herself was wearing a very thin dress made out of a sort of gossamer substance-very angelic.

"At least I'm not wearing full robes or an entire outfit of black," Agamemnon said.

Aless narrowed his eyes. "You watch it, kid," he said threateningly. "You do _not _want to mess with me."

Agamemnon held up his hands. "Whoa, whoa, I didn't mean that in a bad way. Relax."

Aless took off his gloves and rolled up his sleeves. "This... this is really horrible. This genuinely sucks."

"This is... really not fun. This is quite possibly one of the least fun experiences of my entire life," Isaiah said.

"You're dressed in a freakin' _toga_, 'Saiah. How are you hot?" Roy asked irritably.

"I'm an angel. I'm in hell. It's really, really not fun for me."

"And me," Pia, Lykei, and Agamemnon said simultaneously.

"It must really suck for you, 'Kei, you're an albino and all," Agamemnon said.

"It doesn't really matter 'cause there's no sun per se, Mem," Lykei replied.

"It's gonna keep getting hotter, guys, and the longer we spend down here, the hotter we're gonna get." Marth stood up. "C'mon. Let's go."

"Our best course of action would definitely be getting further into the castle," Soren said. "They-the enemies-are the most protected there."

"Oh, you poor girl!" Serra said out of the clear blue (or red-hot) sky. Everyone turned to look at her questioningly.

"You... what's your name?" Serra asked, pointing at Yuria.

"Ah... Yuria. But you can call me Julia if you like."

"All right, Julia. But aren't you hot? Look at that hair!" Serra went on, pointing at Yuria's sleek, silver, ankle-length mane.

"Oh, here!" Pia said, pulling a ponytail holder off her wrist. "Do you know how to put your hair up?"

"Yes, thank you," Yuria said gratefully, accepting Pia's offering. "The girls play with my hair all the time."

"All right. Onwards!" Marth declared.

At first, Yuria tried to walk with the group and put her hair up at the same time. Soon, however, she paused in order to concentrate better on her hair. As she finished, she started to hurry back up to the group, but suddenly felt a foreboding chill behind her-what had previously caused her to shiver despite the heat.

She started to turn around, but before she could, someone with cold hands covered her mouth and wound an arm around her neck.

Immediately, Yuria reached for her Naga tome, but it was roughly knocked out of her hands. Yuria tried to struggle, but her attacker was too strong.

"Quit it," her assailant said quietly in a clear, cold voice. "It won't do you any good." Yuria kept struggling until he tightened his arm around her neck and cut off her air supply.

"I'm already going to kill you. Don't force me to make it long... and painful," he said in an eerily calm voice as Yuria strained for breath. Out of the corner of her eye, Yuria caught a glimpse of his face-snow-white complexion, a glistening scarlet eye, a few strands of dirty blond hair falling into his eyes. Yuria recognized what he was-the creature that had been the inspiration for the Resire, or Nosferatu spell.

Yuria closed her eyes, sickened, and visualized Celice in her mind's eye. He was coming to save her, wasn't he? She wondered dimly if her twin brother, Yurius, knew that this was happening. As she did often, she prayed for his salvation... and for her own...

Yuria, and the Naga bloodline with her, probably would have died then and there, no question about it, if Agamemnon hadn't happened to turn around at that second.

"Julia!" He yelled in anguish, causing the rest of the company to whirl around. Without a second's hesitation, Agamemnon loaded an arrow in his bow and pointed it at the Archangel Gabriel's forehead.

**...to be continued...**

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**...okay, so I was lazy as well. Sue me.**


	65. Negotiating with Nosferatu

**IT DOESN'T COUNT AS BREAKING THE FOURTH. I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU GUYS SAY. IT JUST MEANS THAT PIA AND THE OTHERS ARE AWARE OF FANFICTION TERMS.**

"You... you're Gabriel," Pia whispered incredulously. "The vampire archangel."

"Congratulations, you win the prize," Gabriel answered, smiling, as Yuria again attempted to escape. "Oh, stop," he told her. "It's futile." Yuria settled down a bit, but her silvery eyes were still filled with fear.

Agamemnon's gaze and his aim hadn't faltered. "Release her," he growled.

"Hmmm, let me think... no." Gabriel tightened his grip around Yuria's neck and she went limp. Then he went on as if nothing had happened. "In the time it will take that arrow to reach my head, I'll have moved. And she'll be dead. Which means that for you, this is a lose-lose situation."

Agamemnon hesitated, then lowered his bow.

"Why are you doing this?" Lykei asked bravely. "You don't have to kill her..."

"No, I don't. But I _want _to. There's a difference."

"Gabriel, listen to us," Marth pleaded. "If you kill that girl, you'll doom her world. She's the carrier of the most important Holy Bloodline, and-"

"And that _blood_line is what I plan on feasting on right now, if you'd stop interrupting me," Gabriel interrupted. "Can't you spare one member?"

"I'm not sacrificing another friend. I'm sorry," Marth said forcefully.

"No, _I'm _sorry, because... you're losing one."

Yuria's lips were beginning to turn blue. The group was running out of time.

"Gabriel, please!" Aless said. "That girl is crucial to our world, and..."

"Wait!" Pia said. "Hold on!"

"What, Pia?" Aless asked, obviously irritated.

"I'm going to try and pull... what everyone thinks I already am," Pia said, taking several deep breaths.

Gabriel frowned. "I'll bite. What's that mean?"

"It means that I'm going to try and make everything perfect and happy, all by myself, with no consequences."

"Ah... I see what you... never mind. Get ready to fail, then," Gabriel said. "But I'm curious as to what this perfect plan will be, exactly."

"Are you willing to wait five minutes while I make a plan?" Pia asked weakly.

Gabriel considered her offer, then shrugged. "Sure, I guess. Go ahead. Five minutes."

The entire group let out a sigh of relief as Gabriel loosened his iron grip on Yuria's neck.

Pia felt dizzy and broke out in a cold sweat. She shielded her mind and glanced at Gabriel, whose bright red eyes were boring into her with an oxymoronic expression of disdain and interest. She thought and thought and thought...

...and finally...

"We'll make a deal with you," Pia announced.

Gabriel arched one blond brow. "I'm listening..."

Pia took a deep breath, and her words came out in a rush, slightly out of order. "Take Julia. But don't hurt her. Take her with you and leave us alone, just don't hurt her. If we succeed in overthrowing the enemies, we'll leave one alive for you to take. But then you'll have to join us afterwards. If we don't overthrow the enemies, you can have Julia. And me."

Pia secretly enjoyed the gasp of disbelief that came from her group with those words, but she wet on without missing a beat. "Michael decided to help us, you know. He defected. You can do the same, Gabriel, and so can Raphael. Please. Just give us a chance."

Pia was aware of the angry, incredulous glares that her team was giving her, but she didn't turn around, and instead stared determinedly into Gabriel's surprised crimson eyes.

"Well, now. Your friends already hate you now, so I guess I'll spare you any more grief. I'll agree to your terms."

"That wasn't a perfect plan," Aless hissed. "That sucked."

"Quiet, you," Gabriel snapped at Aless, and for once in his life, Aless obeyed. "Listen, Miss Wannabe Mary Sue. Let me get this straight. If you overthrow the enemies, you'll save one for me to quench my thirst on, and I release this girl and join your team. If you don't succeed, I get the girl _and_ you?"

Pia gulped and nodded.

"Huh. You're staking your goals pretty high, girl. Are you sure about this?"

"Y-yes. Yes, I am."

"All right then. I'll be seeing you no matter what, I suppose." And Gabriel melted into the shadows, taking Yuria with him.

"Way to go, genius," Aless said bitterly. "Now we're in a _much _better situation than we were before."

"I could have made a _much _better plan," Soren grumbled. "And it would have involved the death of the Silver-Haired Dog as well."

"Isn't anybody going to give her credit for creating a potential win-win situation for us?" Lykei asked, coming to Pia's defense.

Before anyone could respond, Pia came to her _own _defense. "Hey, yeah! 'Kei, you're right! Listen up, you bunch of _kvetch_ers! I think I just made a damn good plan, considering the circumstances! In the beginning, we had a lose-lose situation and nothing else. Now we have a potential win-win as well. So stop whining, get your butts in gear, and start moving. _Now_. We have _got _to defeat those enemies." Pia drew her other axe from the holder on her back.

"It's too bad you staked Yuria's life as well," Aless sniffed. "Then we'd be rid of you and we wouldn't even have to defeat the enemies."

Without missing a beat, Pia walked up and slapped Aless across the face.

"Don't you _dare _talk to me like that, Aless Eltshan Agustria, ever again," Pia growled. "Now come on. Move it! We've got enemies to defeat!" And with that, Pia turned around and led the group farther into the dark, forboding castle.

**I smell smoke... I wonder what it could mean? Is it Pia's anger? Aless's burning cheek? Or is it imminent flames? I don't care if you flame. Just review. Also: what Marth meant by "not wanting to sacrifice another friend" was from his own game, where you have to sacrifice a member to move onward. Which is kind of what happened here. **

**P.S. Can yoooouuu find the two vampiristic terms Gabriel used?**


	66. Desires and Illusions

**Contains mild RD spoilers and a disgusting overuse of commas.**

"I... am... so... hot," Micaiah whined.

"Shut up," Ike replied. "We are too. Shoot, I just agreed with her again..."

"Honestly, though, this is worse than the Goron mines," Link said.

"This... this _is _getting rather uncomfortable," Elincia said quietly in a strained voice. "Perhaps we should rest, or...?"

"No," Aegeus said forcefully. "Listen to me, all of you. _Stop complaining_. You guys have _no idea _what true torture is. So just shut your traps and keep moving."

There was a low groan throughout the group, but they were silenced immediately when Aegeus glared at them with his dark, angry eyes.

A while later, the group reached a fork in the corridor. Each passageway seemed to be identical-lined with gray stone, sloping downwards, and both seemed to darken into oblivion at the same point.

"IT'S A TRAP!" Ike and Celice yelled at the same time.

"Sorry. Couldn't resist," Ike said sheepishly amid eye-rolls and sighs.

"Oh, great. Now what?" Ashliela said irritably.

"One of these-" Celice began.

"Or both-" Ike cut in.

"Is a trap, obviously," the two said at once.

"Should we split up?" Leaf suggested.

"I wouldn't," Juliàn said. "We may not be able to turn back after."

"We should try that now," Link said. "Trying to go back, I mean. Here, I'll try going back the way we came." And with that, Link turned and began walking back the way they came.

The group noticed for the first time that their line of vision, when looking backwards, disappeared after only ten feet or so. The air was shimmery and steamy with heat, and it hurt just to look into it, as if one was too close to a fire. Link shielded his eyes and squinted as he walked on-

-and suddenly found himself looking straight at the stunned group.

"Okay. So we can't turn back."

"That means we shouldn't split up," Ike said. "We won't be able to rejoin."

"Unless both roads go to the same place," Celice added.

"Look, they're just messin' with our minds," Rath said. "I bet Ponytail's right and they both lead to the same place. They expect us to stay here, not being able to choose, until we die of overheating and possibly smoke inhalation."

"That's a bit... extreme, Rath, but I'm guessing you're right," Ike said in an overly grateful voice, causing Rath to raise his eyebrows questioningly. "Anyway-onwards! To the left!"

As they descended deeper into their chosen path, it got harder and harder to see, not due to heat and steam, but because of darkness.

Mist clung to her older brother's arm. "Ike... I'm scared..."

"Don't worry, Mistie Dawn," Ike said, trying to comfort her with the gentle use of an old nickname. "Just... just imagine that it's dark out. And we're heading toward our base. And Dad is there, and Titania, and there's no taint, and everyone's all there and back to normal, like it was before..."

The odd thing was, as Ike was saying that, he and Mist started to actually see the dim outine of the old base. They heard, somehow, their father's voice calling them, congratulating them... they smelled Oscar's cooking... felt the grass beneath their feet...

A muffled voice in Ike's head cried out to warn him, but Ike brushed it aside. As he did so, everything he saw, heard, smelled, and felt became more real. He and Mist started walking faster toward what they saw.

"Isaac! What in the world do you think you're..." But now Micaiah had also been captured. She saw all her friends, Laguz and Beorc alike, getting along and welcoming her. Sothe was there as well, and all of her deceased friends, and her little sister Sanaki...

Micaiah began walking, dazed, toward the vision.

One by one, the others fell under the spell. To Rath, the darkness took the form of his beloved Sacaean plains, with all of the tribesmen, including his daughter Sue and his father Dayan, waiting for him.

To Leaf and Celice, the darkness took the form of their parents and the other dead ones, and their living friends too, all standing there with tears of pride, all of the parents and children reunited, and Sigurd, Diadora, Cuan, and Ethlin waiting to welcome their children home.

To Link, he saw his beloved Ordon Village, and all his old friends waiting to welcome him, and his little sister as well, whom he hadn't seen in years, and his grandmother waiting for him, with his favorite dish in hand.

To Elincia, she saw her dead father, and all her subjects, finally at peace with her rule, no one speaking badly about her, no one in danger, no war, and she relaxed.

To Klein, he saw simply peace and family, and happiness and love, and acceptance and honesty, and no matter how impossible it seemed for all of it to be real, somehow, it was.

To Pit and Juliàn, they saw the taint disappear from their homelands and everyone rejoice and welcome them, and Pit saw Pia and his foster mother Amida waiting for him, along with Palutena. Juliàn saw all his little siblings, including Juliana, all together at last.

To Aegeus and Ashliela, they saw simple, pure acceptance. No one shunned them, and they were viewed as heroes at first sight.

To Florina... she saw... she saw... were they her sisters? But her sisters were tainted... right? What was happening? Florina blinked and squinted, and it felt as though her world was breaking apart, and...

...

"Florina... Florina! Wake up, Florina!"

Florina opened her eyes cautiously at the sound of the high-pitched-yet-male voice and was relieved to see Sasha staring down at her. She liked Sasha; there was something about him that wasn't like most other men...

"Florina! Stay with me!" Sasha pleaded.

"I-I'm fine, Sasha, but what...?"

"They've all been trapped within an illusion! And they're all running toward that fire!" Sasha pointed at the hypnotized group walking slowly, but surely, into a great fire, the leaping flames taking up the entire corridor. Florina instinctively flinched away. "I've tried to stop them, but they won't stop, not for anything..." Sasha hung his head in defeat. "How exactly did _you _escape the illusion?"

"I... I'm not sure. I was so confused, and nothing made sense... I believe that it was trying to show me my... my greatest desire, but it seems as though... I don't exactly have one."

"It's a good thing you escaped, Florina..."

"But, Sasha... how did... _you _escape?"

"I-I... I don't know." Sasha's hazel eyes looked confused. "I was never even caught. But we can't dwell on that right now. We have to stop them!"

Sasha and Florina did all they could to prevent their hypnotized teammates from sacrificing themselves, but it was no use-the dream-trapped team subconsciously brushed the weak healer and the shy Pegasus knight aside.

"It's no use," Sasha said dejectedly. "But... there has to be some way..."

"Wait!" Florina cried. She had an idea, a crazy idea that probably wouldn't work. "The... the flames... perhaps they're... an illusion as well? And if they are... if you believe the illusion... then the flames would hurt us, but if you know it's an illusion, then..."

Sasha looked confused again. "Florina... what are you trying to say, exactly?"

"We... we need to walk into the flames... as if nothing was there... because we're caught by _that _illusion... the flames... we're not hypnotized, so it won't hurt us! Only illusions can destroy illusions!"

"Florina..."

"Just come on! C-come with me into the flames! Please, Sasha, it's our last chance!"

Sasha still looked doubtful, but he obliged. He and Florina brushed past the hypnotized group and began walking closer and closer to the fire.

"It's not real... it's not real..." Florina chanted to herself as the fire loomed ever closer.

Finally, they had reached the fire. They didn't stop. They kept walking, walking until...

"We're through! We made it!" Sasha cried with a mixture of awe and happiness in his high-pitched voice. "But, Florina, how did you know...?"

"I... I read it in a book once," Florina mumbled, blushing.

Suddenly, the flames that Sasha and Florina had braved began acting strangely. Thick turrets of flame suddenly snaked around and shot through each hypnotized person's chest. The group yelled and blinked, some stumbling backwards, finally released from their false joys and comforts.

"What... Sasha! Florina! What's going on?" Ike demanded.

"You were all hypnotized by illusions! And you were going to walk right into an illusion of fire, but Florina realized that if we weren't caught by your illusion, then the illusion of fire wouldn't hurt us, so we walked right through it, and nothing happened, but then the fire brought you all back!" Sasha panted.

"Uh... so, bottom line, we're all safe now," Ike clarified.

Sasha took a deep breath. "Yes! And it's all thanks to Florina!"

"Nice job, Florina!" Rath said, sounding happily surprised.

"Yeah, great job!"

"Awesome, Florina!"

"Way to go!"

"You saved us all!"

Florina was rather overwhelmed by the onslaught of compliments, but she managed to smile weakly. "Thank you... thank you so much."

"Great. Now we can-"

"Oh, Florina. I wish you hadn't done that," a sad voice called from behind them. The group turned instantly at the sound.

A beautiful man was standing there, sadly regarding all of them with large, dark red eyes. His knee-length auburn hair was messily braided down his back, but a few strands were hanging around his face. He was dressed in black robes similar to Michael's, and he also held a golden staff with a silver orb at the end. His black-feathered wings were not open, but the group could, nonetheless, see them and identify him as an archangel.

An archangel who looked a lot like Sasha.

"You... you must be... Raphael," Ike said in awe. "But... what's... why are you so sad?"

"W-what did I do wrong?" Florina asked, stepping back and trembling.

Raphael raised his head a bit, scanning the group with his sorrow-laden red eyes.

"I wish you hadn't saved them."

"Why?" Ike asked.

Raphael stared at him sadly. "Because now... I have to kill... all of you."

**I take MUCH more pride in this chapter then I did for the last one. I'm actually proud of this one, despite the disgusting overuse of commas and horrible grammar! Also, what Florina was trying to say if that if they were all trapped in an illusion, the illusion of fire would hurt them, but not her and Sasha, because only illusions can hurt illusions. She and Sasha could see the illusion, but it couldn't hurt them. Confusing, I know, but better than Pia's plan. Please review!**


	67. Duel of the Healers

"Wh-what?" Mist gasped in response to Raphael's ominous proclamation.

"I said I'm sorry Florina saved you from the fire, because now I have to kill all of you," Raphael repeated patiently.

Nobody moved. In a way, Raphael seemed even more frightening than Michael. Michael had been ordered to massacre the team as well, but had let them go, even willingly helping them. Raphael seemed even more unwilling to kill them than Michael had been, but it didn't look like he was going to defect against Lilith as Michael had.

"Look... we don't want to hurt you or anything," Celice said, attempting and failing to sound calm. "We just want to pass."

"I know that." Raphael's unhappy expression didn't change as he spoke. "I need to kill you, however, nonetheless."

"Please... Michael decided to help us. You can as well," Pit pleaded.

"Michael was more free than I am now; he wasn't _inside _the base," Raphael explained. "Lilith is watching me. I can't let you go. I'm sorry." He raised his golden staff. The silver orb began to glow.

"Then we'll fight you!" Ike yelled suddenly, and charged at Raphael.

Something resembling hope flashed in Raphael's despairing eyes, but then they filled with sorrow again. "As you wish, Sir Ike," he responded in his sad monotone.

"Ike, no! He's too danger-" Aegeus tried to warn Ike, but it was too late. He was already engaged in combat with the excruciatingly handsome archangel.

"Join me, then!" Ike yelled, not turning away from his battle with Raphael. Aegeus hesitated, then rushed into the fray.

Despite being a healer, Raphael was highly skilled at combat. He was very quick, and was able to somewhat foresee Ike and Aegeus's imminent actions.

Making the first move, Ike swung his sword clumsily in a roundhouse slash at the level of Raphael's chest. Raphael raised his fragile-looking staff and blocked it easily, much to Ike's surprise, then quickly rotated the staff and jabbed the pointy end into Ike's shoulder.

As Ike stumbled backwards, Raphael turned his body so fast he was a blur and swung the staff in a similar, but more graceful, roundhouse motion at Aegeus's ribcage. Aegeus ducked to avoid the attack and, remaining in a kneeling position, aimed an upwards slash at Raphael's neck. Raphael changed his grip on the staff so that each hand was at either end and parried Aegeus's blow.

Unlike Raphael's previous attack on Ike, he didn't rotate his staff, and instead kept holding Aegeus's blade back, pressing harder and harder, preventing Aegeus from standing.

Aegeus winced. Raphael was much stronger than Aegeus was, and Aegeus could see that his wrist would soon be bent backwards from the pressure. Aegeus used his free hand to attempt to push his blade upwards, but it was no use. Just as Raphael was about to snap his wrist...

Ike came charging forwards at Raphael, holding his sword in both hands at his side. As he was nearing Raphael and was about to swing, Raphael simply kicked him in the stomach, causing him to stumble backwards once more.

Suddenly remembering his fight with Pit, Aegeus purposely fell over onto his back, taking a huge gamble, and kicked Raphael in the thigh, causing his knee to buckle.

Raphael's grip on his staff faltered slightly and he stumbled. Quickly, Aegeus dropped his blade and rolled out of the way, getting caught on his shoulder by Raphael's plummeting staff.

"Hey!" Ashliela said suddenly. "Why can't we help? I'm a long-range fighter!" Without waiting for an answer, she loaded a black arrow in her bow and shot it at Raphael's vulnerable chest.

Ashliela and the others gasped as a translucent wall of golden energy materialized around Raphael, not only blasting Ike and Aegeus backwards, but also disintegrating the arrow.

"Nice try, Ashliela, but I'm a master of defense. Parrying long-range attacks is child's play for me."

Ashliela gritted her teeth and said nothing, although one could easily see that she was furious.

"How about an equally skilled defender, then?" Sasha asked suddenly. Without waiting for an answer, the soft-spoken healer charged at his much more powerful ancestor.

His sad expression finally giving way to a surprised one, Raphael raised his staff to block Sasha's. Sasha swung at him again, and the two began to duel.

It was an short and fast, yet interesting battle. One wouldn't guess that two healers, especially wielding only their signature staffs, could have such a battle. Sasha and Raphael, however, managed to.

The fight consisted mostly of Sasha striking at Raphael with his staff and Raphael parrying the blows. With each hit, Sasha drove Raphael farther back. Eventually, Sasha managed to pin Raphael against the wall. The orb at the top of Sasha's staff suddenly began to glow red. Sasha seemed to expect and know what to do with it and, without a second's hesitation, plunged the staff into his adversary's chest.

Raphael crumpled to the ground, clutching at his wounded chest. The red glow slowly faded from Sasha's staff and the previously weak healer began shaking. Pit ran up on equally shaky legs and managed to keep his best friend from collapsing.

"Easy, now," Pit told him in a soft voice "It's okay, buddy. It's all gonna be okay..."

Sasha stopped shivering-to a degree-and started weeping. Pit tried to comfort him, but broke down himself.

The shaken group slowly walked over to where Raphael was slumped against the stone wall. His head was bent down toward his bleeding chest, and they couldn't see his face.

"Is..." Link asked in a tremulous voice. "Is he..."

"I'm not dead," Raphael said in a cracked, weary voice, startling everyone. He lifted his head. The group could see a small stream of blood trickling down from his lip.

"We can't be killed so easily," Raphael went on, wincing. "But you're my own descendant, Sasha... this is definitely going to leave a mark."

With great effort, Raphael managed to raise his beautiful golden staff. "Take this," he said to Sasha. "I won't be needing it, but you will."

Sasha hesitated, then carefully accepted Raphael's gift.

"Go," Raphael commanded weakly.

With one worried glance back at the severely injured archangel, Ike slowly led the group farther down the corridor. Only Pit and Sasha lingered by Raphael.

"You could have killed us all." Pit said hollowly, staring at the fallen healer. "You didn't need to fight; you could have shielded. And you're like Michael; you could have just waved your hand and created a huge inferno. Why did you set the odds against yourself and fight?"

Raphael looked up at Pit with those sorrowful, weary red eyes.

"I wanted to lose. I didn't want to kill you, but Lilith had given me explicit orders to. So I created a win-win situation for myself. I fought you instead of killing you. I got myself incapacitated so I _couldn't _fight you. I didn't kill you, but she can't hold it against me."

After completing his valiant speech, Raphael fell silent and bent his head down to his chest. He didn't stir. He wasn't dead, but he wouldn't move again for a very long time.

Pit and Sasha stared at Raphael, then at each other. Then they hurried to rejoin the departing group.

**I'll admit it: I feel VERY good about this one. How 'bout you guys? Did you like it?**

**You: Great job, EmilySamara! You must have worked a long time on that!**

**Me: Aw, really, guys. It was nothin'. Hm? What's that I hear?**

**FLAMER: Ugh your so full of yurself and you cant even write fight secens! Get off here and take you're stupid Mary Sue with you!**

**Me: ...go get an education, THEN make fun of me, please. If I get insulted, I'd at least like a GOOD insult.**

**...Anyway. I actually do feel pretty good about this one. Also... I noticed that I depicted Michael with thunder powers, Gabriel (somewhat) with ice powers, and Raphael with fire powers. THAT was unplanned. Weird. Anyway... please review, please!**


	68. Blinded Pairs

"Come on. Come a little closer. I'm not going to hurt you..."

Adamantly disobeying him, the girl backed up closer to the wall. "Stay away from me, creep," she cautioned.

He could play her game. He leisurely strode closer to her, forcing her to step back.

"I said stay away." Now he could hear the terror breaking through her bold voice. He smiled. "_Stay away_."

"You are my slave, girl, and I am your savior. Don't you forget that. I can have my way with you, and there's nothing you can do about it."

The arrogance in his voice and smile made her sick. "That-that may be true, but..."

"I promise you... and I know what you're getting at here... if you allow me to have my way with you, no harm will come to _him_."

He had spoken the magic words. She let her guard down and humbly submitted to him.

She was either too young and trusting or too desperate for _his _safety to realize that he was lying.

...

Marth shivered.

"Oh, no... he isn't coming back, is he?" Lyn groaned worriedly.

"What?" Marth asked, turning toward her in confusion.

"It's _boiling_ here. The last time someone shivered, it meant..."

"Oh... that's right." Marth let out a shaky sigh. "I'm not sure what it means... but all of a sudden... I've got a very dark feeling..."

"Get a grip, man," Roy said supportively. "You can't afford to break down now."

"Marth isn't one for breaking down... Roy, is it?" Catria said softly. Roy nodded. "He might be getting overwhelmed, but he'll stick it out 'til the end."

Marth smiled weakly. "Thanks, Catria... you too, Roy."

"Something's not right," Soren said uneasily. "Do any of you feel... odd?"

Sain squinted into the path ahead. "It's getting so dark as we go deeper... it's like I could close my eyes and there would be no change."

"I don't like it," Wolt agreed. "I'm an archer. Accuracy is key. If I can't see, I can't fight."

"Same here..." Agamemnon said. "I... oh no... guys?"

"Yeah?" Everyone answered, a hint of panic in each person's voice.

"I... I can't see. I can't see my hands in front of me... I can't see! I'm blind!"

"I can't see either!" Serra shrieked.

"Neither can I!" Lykei gasped.

Pandemonium broke out amongst the group, but it was soon silenced.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please shut up!" Aless yelled, his loud, frightening voice instantly causing everyone to obey his command. "Just calm down and stop moving. You aren't blind; it's just too dark to see, and even if I'm wrong, just tell yourself that. Everyone speak a lot so we don't lose you. Find a partner as well. And _don't _panic."

A lot of murmuring was audible as the blinded group reached out to find someone.

"Everybody ready?" Marth asked as they began to quiet down. "Okay. I'm with Roy. Um... Aless, why don't you start. Who are you with?"

"I'm with the cool black-winged guy... what'd you say your name was?"

"Agamemnon," Agamemnon said.

"Isaiah, how about you?"

"I'm with Serra," he said, with just a hint of dread in his voice, although he politely tried to mask it.

"Soren?"

"I'm with Sue," Soren said, sounding pleased. It was easy to see why-Sue was serious and quiet, much like Soren.

"Sain?"

"I'm with Wolt."

"That leaves Pia, Lyn, Lykei, and Catria..."

"I'm with Lyn," Lykei said in her high, fairylike voice.

"And that puts Pia and Catria together."

"Hey, that rhymes!" Pia and Catria said at the same time, giggling.

"Alright," Marth concluded. "Stick close to your partner, and don't wander off."

The group made their way slowly through the oppressive darkness, everyone quietly speaking to each other to ease their nerves.

Agamemnon was reminded of a passage in a story he had once read. _It's so dark, Rainsford thought, that I could sleep without closing my eyes, the night would be my eyelids... _or something along those terms.

Unfortunately, the thought of that particular story didn't help calm Agamemnon's nerves. His sister wouldn't be this scared, he thought glumly.

"Nervous?" Aless said quietly. "I can feel that you're tense."

"Yeah, I am. It's like Wolt said-I'm an archer, and I need to see."

"Well, it's not like I can swing my sword either, you know. What if I accidentally hit someone on our own team? We're all defenseless, and they know it."

Agamemnon shuddered. "Aren't you scared?"

"Certainly. I've just been trained to hide it. Even though I'm a prince, I was raised as a mercenary. Feared by all. It wasn't a bad life, I suppose, but I always hungered for more-more than that puny, insignificant life, you know?"

"You know everyone else can hear you, right?" Agamemnon whispered, a little surprised that Aless was revealing all this to him. They weren't exactly secrets, sure, but Agamemnon had only known Aless for a few hours at most, and they didn't know each other very well, either.

"They could if they wanted to, but they're all talking with each other," Aless said. "How about you? How were you raised?"

"Considering the circumstances, pretty well," Agamemnon replied. "My mom was really nice, and my sister and I always looked out for each other. And then once Aegeus came, no one picked on us. But before that... I couldn't go a day without getting teased or beaten up."

"Why?" Aless asked, sounding very surprised.

"Well, you know how you said my wings were cool? Well, that's nice of you, but not everyone thinks that. In fact, people see them as a sign of evil-and they were, up until Ash and Aegeus and I were born. But, you know, we hadn't done anything wrong. It wasn't fair."

"Wow. That... that's... horrible. I'm sorry, Agamemnon."

"S'okay. That was all a long time ago. I have some friends now, even." Agamemnon paused. "You know, when I first saw you, I thought that you would hate me."

"Why?" Aless asked again, sounding just as surprised.

"There was this guy I knew... he hated me the most out of anyone. He hated everyone who wasn't... wasn't... well, Aryan, basically. I'm sure he'd have liked you if you weren't human."

"I wouldn't like him in return," Aless said evenly. "He sounds despicable. And yet you say he looked just like me..."

"Only your hair is a lot longer. But otherwise... you could be twins."

"Huh. What'd you say his name was again?"

"It was Jonathan. Jonathan Speedwing."

...

"Hey, Catria?" Pia asked as she felt her way along the wall.

"Yeah?"

"I've noticed something about you. It might be personal, but if you don't want to answer, you don't have to."

"Well, go on. I'll probably answer."

"Well, uh... it's about Marth."

Catria's heart skipped a beat. "Whuh... oh. Prince Marth. Right."

"Well, for one thing, you always call him 'Prince Marth.' You know you can just call him Marth if you want."

"I always called him Prince Marth, along with everyone else. It was especially important for me to, because I was... still am... just a lowly Pegasus Knight from the enemy country. It was simple manners."

"Well, I'll bet you can call him just plain Marth now," Pia said cheerfully. "Unless it's just a habit by now..."

"I... I suppose it is a habit by now," Catria said. "But perhaps he doesn't like being called a prince because he believes he no longer is one."

"I see what you mean. He gets so emotional when he talks about Altea. You saw how happy he was when he saw you."

"Yes... yes, I did."

"Anyway, Cat... I was wondering... whenever you look at Marth, you always look happy... and sad at the same time. Why?"

"Well... uh... I wasn't even aware I was doing that. Listen... I have something personal... Prince Marth can't hear, right?"

"No. I can read minds; I'll check with him periodically."

"You seem trustworthy, Pia... here's what happened.

"One day, a messenger came for me. He gave me a letter. It was a love letter, and the messenger said that whoever it was was close to me. In the letter, my mystery admirer said that they loved me, but couldn't see or marry me due to class restriction... obviously, he was a noble who loved a lowly Pegasus Knight.

"Naturally, I assumed it was Prince Marth. I had... I had already thought quite highly of him, and this... I believed it was him.

"Finally, after we conquered my homeland of Medon, the letters stopped. I was mortified. I believed that Marth was disgusted of me due to the treachery of my homeland and our notorious ruler, Prince Michalis.

"Later, I found out from discreet inquiries-and bribes-that Marth had not been the one sending me the letters. I still... I still harbored feelings toward him, but... I realized... he never felt them back. It was someone else, some other prince, or king or noble... even today, his name remains shrouded in mystery."

"Oh, Catria," Pia whispered. "That sounds so tragic."

"..."

"I mean, you... oh, you poor girl... I once loved someone who didn't love me back, but he loves me now... I couldn't imagine... and with Shiida..."

"Oh, I wouldn't dream of taking Marth away while Shiida... she was a nice person. I aim to respect her in death."

"Marth can't talk about her. Not without crying."

"Oh... my poor prince."

...

Marth sneezed.

"Bless you," Roy said. "Someone must be talking about you."

"Don't be so superstitious," Marth chastised Roy. "Oh... Roy, do you feel that draft?"

"I don't-oh, wait... yes, I do..."

"That doesn't feel natural," Marth said, panic rising in his voice. "Roy... something doesn't feel-"

Suddenly, something rammed into him. "Aaaah!" Marth instinctively jumped away.

All around them, people started screaming as the invisible something smashed into them.

"It's trying to turn us in the wrong direction!" Soren yelled. "It's going to separate us, no doubt-Sue! Don't you let go my hand!"

Sue held on tight, but the two were instantly thrown backwards and tossed around.

"At least we're together," Sue mumbled from the ground.

"That's the point of being in pairs," Soren said.

Everyone was being separated from the group as a whole, although they lucklily managed to remain in their pairs.

"Agamemnon!" Aless yelled. "Run with me! Come on!"

The two ran and ran, knowing that they were running too far away from the group, when all of a sudden...

"Is that... light?" Agamemnon whispered.

It was-just a small sliver of light, lying next to the black wall.

"That's a door!" Aless said. He dragged himself and Agamemnon toward the slice of golden light. He felt around the area above the door before locating the doorknob, thrusting open the door, and pulling Agamemnon in with himself.

"Whew," Aless said as he closed the door. "Now... where exactly... are we?"

"The bedroom," Agamemnon snickered.

Aless rolled his eyes, even though Agamemnon was, in fact, correct. They were in a magnificent bedroom, with a gigantic four-poster bed in the middle, tables covered in fruit and cheese platters, and candles all around.

Agamemnon's face reddened. He was only fifteen, after all, while Aless looked to be around twenty or so.

Aless nodded in approval. "Looks like my bedroom back home. Geez, that reminds me... I hope Leen isn't worrying about me..."

"_I'm _worrying about _us _right now," Agamemnon said. "This is obviously an enemy's bedroom. What are we gonna do if the enemy comes back?"

"Hide," Aless replied. "Now c'mon. Let's poke around." He started to walk around the room. Agamemnon tagged along behind him.

"So, ah... is Leen your girlfriend?"

"Yeah. Met her in some of my last days as a mercenary. I think she was a little overwhelmed by castle life at first-so was I-but she's adapted. She's a dancer, you see. Likes fancy stuff, but isn't used to-" Aless suddenly stopped cold and stared, wide-eyed, at the bed.

"What? What do you see?" Agamemnon asked fearfully, clutching at Aless's arm.

"Th-that." Aless pointed to where he was staring.

A woman-no, not a woman, she couldn't be older than sixteen-was lying on the bed, barely breathing. Aless and Agamemnon hadn't even noticed her.

**Yay more cliffies! But actually, this isn't out of laziness-this was actually where the chapter needed to end. I noticed that Aless and Agamemnon's and Pia and Catria's convos seemed like Support Conversations from Fire Emblem... anyone else think so? 'Cause that was a surprise to me... and about the first part? Who do you think they are? Please R&R!**


	69. The Happiest Chapter Ever So Far

"What do we do?" Agamemnon whispered.

"Well, we can't very well go back outside," Aless replied. "It looks like she's asleep." He slowly began walking toward the bed.

"Why do I get the feeling this is a bad idea?" Agamemnon muttered before joining Aless.

"I dunno... I get the feeling that she isn't an enemy," Aless said as he bent over the unconscious girl.

She was dressed in a simple slave's outfit, a shapeless blue dress tied with a cloth belt, but something about her seemed to radiate nobility. Appearance-wise, she seemed quite well taken care of. Her long, silky blue hair looked strong and shiny. Her skin was creamy and white, aside from her rosy cheeks, and her thick black eyelashes were so long they brushed the area underneath her eyes.

The Black Knight and the archangel, however, grasped that something was wrong. The girl's expression was not peaceful. There were worry lines etched into her forehead even in sleep. Her full pink lips were taut and tense, as were her fists at her sides. The rest of her body was covered with scrapes and bruises.

"Should I wake her?" Aless whispered.

"I think you should," Agamemnon replied quietly.

Aless reached out a pale hand and touched the girl's arm gently. She awoke instantly, startling Aless and Agamemnon. Her large eyes were a beautiful, radiant azure color, but they looked tired and worn, as if the sparkle and light that had once resided in them had been washed away.

"Oh, no... please, not you again... it's already been once today with the other.." the girl murmured distantly, holding up her twiglike arms as if to protect herself.

"My... my lady, you must be mistaken. My name is Aless, and I hail from Agustria of Jugdral." Aless said, sounding confused yet gentlemanly and suave. "I don't recall ever seeing your face."

The girl blinked in confusion, then blushed. "Oh... my apologies, Sir Aless. I... your face is the exact likeness of... of..."

"Jonathan Speedwing," Agamemnon breathed. The girl seemed to notice him for the first time and gave a little shriek at seeing his wings.

"H-hey, hold on! I'm not like them!" Agamemnon said, holding up his hands in defense.

"The... the other ones... with black wings?" The girl murmured. "They scare me so..."

"You don't have any reason to worry now. We're here to save you," Aless told her.

"You must leave here... he'll be coming back," she whispered.

"Who? Who did this to you? Jonathan?" Agamemnon asked.

"No... no, a different one... when I was captured a few years ago, I... I was going to be killed, but he requested that I be given to him as a slave... Oh, he's so horrible... just a little while ago, he... he..." the girl began shaking.

"Shhh," Aless said, trying to comfort her. "You're gonna be alright. We'll save you." He took her pale, shaky hand in his large, long-fingered one and helped her up. She was painfully skinny, but Aless could tell that she had once had a very nice figure. "Tell me, my lady, from where do you hail, and what is your name?"

The girl stared straight at him with her determined blue eyes. "I hail from a small island off the coast of the lost continent of Akaneia. My name... is Princess Shiida of Talys."

...

"Everyone together?" Marth groaned for the fifth time. He decided that one or two of his ribs was broken and called for Serra. There were a lot of annoyed "ows" and "watch where you're goings" before Serra reached Marth.

"I think we're all here except for Aless and Agamemnon," Soren said.

"What was the enemies' goal with that? To hurt us, annoy us, or separate us?" Pia asked irritably, rubbing her wounded leg.

"Well, they succeeded in all three," Roy said. "Most of us are hurt, all of us are annoyed, and Aless and Agamemnon are missing."

"Well, c'mon. We better get up 'n try to find them," Marth said after Serra had finished healing him. "Wait... do you guys see that?"

"See what?" Lyn asked, glancing around blindly.

"That... that light." Marth stood up along with everyone else. "This way!" He called, following the direction of the light. After a while, they all saw a crack of light coming out of a slightly opened door. Marth immediately flung the door open.

...

Aless, Agamemnon, and their new friend Shiida tensed as they heard voices outside.

"Either that's the rest of our team or a really mad enemy," Aless said, drawing the demonic Mistletain.

The door swung open, and the rest of the bedraggled group, blinking in the bright light, came into view.

"Hey, guys!" Agamemnon called cheerily as Aless sheathed his sword. "Look who we found!" He said, gesturing to Shiida.

"Hey, Marth... are you okay?" Aless asked. Everyone looked at Marth. His entire body was shaking, including his outstretched hands. Tears were pouring from his eyes, but he seemed not to notice.

Most of the newcomers didn't understand what was happening, but Marth's old friends did, and they were nearly as shocked as he.

"Sh... Sh... Shi..." Marth stammered, unable to get the whole word out.

"MARTH!" Shiida screamed, bursting into tears. She dashed madly across the room and collapsed into her lover's shaking arms.

"Oh, Marth... oh, Marth... I... I was so scared..."

"I thought I'd lost you," Marth whispered, holding her tightly. "I thought you were dead. And the whole time.. you were... you were..." He couldn't find the words, and instead just rocked her gently.

Most of the people in the room were crying, but some weren't. There was simply too much emotion in the room for them to bear.

"You're safe now, love," Marth whispered. "You're with us now."

The two didn't stop hugging for a long, long time. The others wisely chose not to disturb them.

**Short and very, very sweet. I figure this is a good ending point; I'll be going away on a trip for two weeks... sorry, guys! But you do have almost 70 chapters to re-read... anyway. You didn't really think I would leave Shiida/Sheeda/Caeda dead, did you? Marth deserves a girl, and Shiida is just awesome. In case there's any confusion, she WAS the girl at the beginning of the previous chapter, and the guy assaulting her was NOT Jonathan, but was another enemy. Can you guess? R&R plz.**


	70. Out For Blood

**If this chapter seems overly gory and emotional, blame Pikana. Or more specifically, blame me for reading Pikana's bloody, gory stories (lol rhyme) right before I wrote the critical scene. Anyway... prepare yourselves.**

After a longish while, Marth and Shiida broke apart.

"Well, that was... something," Aless said in a low voice. Shiida turned to him and smiled.

"Aless, is it?"

"Yes, that's right."

"Oh, yeah, we should probably do introductions," Marth said, wiping tears from his eyes. He was still smiling, smiling wider then he'd ever smiled before. "Catria, Lyn, Aless, Agamemnon, and Roy you know... this is Pia, Isaiah, Wolt, Serra, Sue, Soren, Sain, and Lykei."

"It's nice to meet all of you," Shiida said softly, her wide eyes already beginning to sparkle again.

"It's too bad Ike couldn't be here," Lyn said regretfully.

"Ike?" Shiida asked innocently.

Marth sighed, reality finally setting in. "Oh, Shi-Shi. We have so much to fill you in on."

"Ike's Marth's best friend," Roy said quietly. Shiida bit her lip and turned back to Marth with a sad smile.

"Guess I do have a lot to catch up on," she said. "I'm guessing this Ike is pretty important to you."

"Oh, yeah," Lyn said energetically. "He's my boyfriend as well."

Shiida sighed. "I'll have to be taught so much about your new lives. I want to know every detail. It's as though I've been in a coma for... how long has it been, Marth?"

Marth shook his bowed head. His bangs covered his eyes, but Shiida guessed that he was angry at something.

"I always hated that too," Pia said sympathetically. "Y'know, when all my friends did something and I was-"

"Who did this to you, Shiida?" Marth growled suddenly. The others, excepting Shiida, took an involuntary step back. When Marth was angry, all trembled before his wrath. "For ten years..."

"Only five... actually," Shiida said softly. "I was on the run for five, and then they-"

"Who's _they_?" Marth yelled. "I don't care _how _long it was! You were a slave to these... these..." Marth let loose with such a filthy stream of profanity that even Aless looked shocked. "-for five _years _too many, and for ten too many you were away from me!" Marth took several deep breaths. "Who did it to you, Shiida? Who did this?"

Lesser girls than Shiida would have looked away, fretted and stalled, not wanting death to come to their former assaulter, despite their wicked deeds. Shiida was different. Her gaze hardened, her posture straightened even more, and she stared Marth in the eye.

"It was Michalis, Marth. Prince Michalis of Medon. He personally requested that I be given to him as a slave. All this you see here-" She gestured to her bruised and battered body. "-this was _his _doing."

Marth started shaking. One could almost see a shimmering aura of fire encircling his body.

"Michalis..." Marth said in a deadly whisper. "That... _bastard_..."

Before Marth could let loose with another string of curses, he was knocked backwards by something too fast to be seen. It happened so quickly, it was all a blur: everyone was knocked backwards into each other by the same superfast object as before, and before they knew it, they were all trapped behind the iron bars of a hidden cage.

Except for Shiida, who was knocked to the ground in front of the cage. Wincing at the pain, she attempted to stand. Suddenly, the blur shot to her side. She gasped and fell to the ground once again. The blur's form now became clear. It was the form of a tall blond angel with white wings that were slightly bigger than Agamemnon's. He was dressed in light battle gear-a white-and-gold breastplate and matching white-and-gold armor over his lower arms and calves.

Shiida tried once again to stand, but the blond angel knocked her to the ground and held her there with his foot, smiling in sick triumph.

"Jonathan Speedwing!" Pia gasped in anguish. "You filthy traitor!"

"You're one to talk," Jonathan replied. "A dirty Jew, siding with these humans and that coddled archangel. _I'm _not the traitor. _I'm _the one choosing the correct path. Our goal is to create a utopian society. Which means that flawed beings such as _you_ must go."

"That was Hitler's idea. Look where that got him," Pia retorted angrily. "He killed millions of innocents and wound up committing suicide. That'swhat you want, Jonathan? Another epic failure like that?"

"Hitler was mad. We have reason."

"No you don't!" Pia shrieked, her emotions reaching a fever pitch. "You're just _stupid_!"

"Pia, stop arguing with him," Agamemnon said wearily. "It's useless; he'll never give in."

"Yeah," Isaiah piped up. "He's a blonde. He couldn't argue to save his life."

"Hey!" Aless and Agamemnon said, both turning to him.

"No, not you guys," Isaiah assured them quickly. "You guys are awesome!"

"Let us go, you moronic pretty-boy!" Sue demanded.

Jonathan shuddered. "_Please _tell me you didn't just _speak _to me, you ugly Sacaean savage."

Sue growled under her breath. Soren made a motion to put his arm around her, but drew it back at the last second.

"Anyway..." the handsome-yet-evil angel went on, still pressing Shiida to the floor with his foot. "Stupid little human girl," he taunted her. "_Now _look where you've got your lover and his friends."

Shiida moaned. "You... you'll get your dues, J-Jonathan."

Jonathan's eyes flashed and he kicked her in the head with his other foot. "Shut up. Don't you _dare _speak my name. Gods, I feel like I'm being tainted just by _touching _you."

"If you think humans are so inferior, why are you in cahoots with Michalis?" Lyn asked. At the mention of Michalis's name, Marth let out a low, strangled hiss of anguish.

"Who said I _liked _working alongside him?" Jonathan grumbled.

"Feel free to quit anytime, birdman," a smooth, arrogant voice responded. Jonathan, Shiida, and the rest of the group turned toward the door and got their first, for some of them, glance of the infamous Prince of Medon, Michalis.

Michalis wore sweeping black robes, had dark wine-colored hair reaching his shoulders, matching eyes, and a corrupted, twisted smile. Marth's blood boiled at the sight of him, and his vision became tinged with crimson. Just as he had reached the epitome of happiness only minutes ago, he had now reached the very epitome of fury.

"In your dreams, human scum," Jonathan retorted. "Here. I've got your slave and the brawlers. I'm out." And with that, Jonathan sprinted out of the room in less than a second.

Michalis walked over, at a leisurely pace, to the spot where Shiida was on her hands and knees, gasping for breath. After he reached her, he knelt down beside her, paying no attention to the stunned group members caught in the cage.

"Stay... away..." Shiida whispered. "Oh, God, st-stay away..."

"Why should I?" Michalis laughed softly. "It's not like anyone can stop me."

"Except for me," an enraged voice breathed from the direction of the cage. Michalis turned his head slowly to face the source of the voice-a certain seething blue-haired prince.

"And what can _you _do, princeling?" Michalis inquired, smiling.

"If... you... lay... a... finger... on... her..." Marth said in a deadly whisper. "You... will... pay... in... blood."

"Oh. How simply terrifying." Michalis recoiled mockingly, then turned back to the struggling Shiida. "Now then, my dear... hold still a moment, please." And with that, he tilted Shiida's chin up with his spiderlike fingers and kissed her.

...

When the possessed Aegeus had threatened to kill Pia and held a knife to her throat, something inside Pit's heart snapped. Adrenaline had flowed through his veins like a mighty stream, and he had charged at Aegeus. That was also when he realized that he loved Pia.

This was different. Marth had mourned his only love, the love of his life, Shiida, for ten long years. Now he had finally found her, only to be swiftly torn from her once again, trapped, as her assailant and enslaver violated her in front of Marth's eyes.

Marth had had enough of being submissive and humble, quiet and resigned, tactful and cautious. Now he was out for blood.

Everything inside Marth snapped. Sanity, caution, and reason vanished. The rush of adrenaline nearly blinded Marth and condensed his thoughts into three simple objectives: _Escape. Kill. Avenge._

Letting out an inhuman roar, Marth, exhibiting astounding strength, ripped through the iron bars of the cage, freed himself from the twisted metal, and charged at Michalis with his sword drawn and ready, eager to spill Michalis's blood.

Michalis leapt to his feet and, with impressive speed, readied his lance. He managed to parry Marth's first blow, but the incredible force that Marth expressed pushed him back a few feet. Marth didn't slow down or break step. He lunged at Michalis once more, this time aiming for Michalis's long fingers, which were grasping the lance he was using to parry Marth's blows. Michalis managed to shift his grip just in time, but the damage was still done.

Marth's second blow hadn't struck the middle of the lance; rather, it had struck the higher end, where Michalis was holding it. This knocked the lance off balance and caused Michalis to stumble backwards.

Marth took full advantage of this, charging at Michalis full-on once again. This time, he landed a hit. Marth had been aiming to split Michalis's head open, but Michalis narrowly dodged at the last second, and Marth managed to shear a long strip of flesh off Michalis's upper arm.

Shiida, who was closest to the action, clapped her hands over her mouth in an attempt to keep from screaming as Michalis's blood splattered over the floor. The wound was so deep that white bone was gleaming through. As Michalis clutched at his arm in agony, Marth paused and straightened up a bit.

"I told you," Marth whispered with demented delight. "I told you you'd pay in blood." Breathing unevenly, madly, Marth brought his sword, which was now dripping with Michalis's blood, to his lips and licked the blood off. "And you know what?" Marth asked, lowering his sword, his eyes wide with insanity. He laughed twice, in two short, exhilarated bursts. "I'm not even done yet."

"My God, he's gone mad," Lyn whispered in terror, so softly that Marth couldn't hear.

Marth stepped forward and swung his sword once more in the same head-splitting motion. Michalis, amazingly, managed to avoid it entirely and simultaneously lunged towards Marth with his lance. He managed to stab Marth through the shoulder. Marth didn't even seem to feel the pain as he swung his sword in a roundhouse slash at Michalis's ribcage.

Everyone could hear the sickening crack from Michalis's side as blood spouted from his second gaping wound. Michalis gasped and his knees buckled.

Marth took full advantage of Michalis's moment of weakness, a dishonorable tactic that Marth never would have exhibited previously. Lunging forward once again, Marth stabbed his sword into Michalis's other side. As Michalis was facing the group at the time, they were all forced to witness the surge of blood gushing out of Michalis's abdomen.

At last, the bloody and bedraggled prince was brought to his knees. Marth grabbed a handful of his hair and dragged him over to Shiida.

"Apologize," Marth hissed, his normally tranquil midnight eyes bloodshot and wide with madness. "Do it, you bastard." He shook Michalis roughly. "_Do it_!"

Michalis took a while to answer; whether it was from pride or pain, the group couldn't tell. "I'm... sorry... Shiida," he whispered, a thin stream of blood trickling out of his mouth.

Shiida was too horrified to react.

"As if that's good enough," Marth whispered, his voice shaking with fury. "As if _that _atones for all your sins!"

Michalis remained silent. No one could blame him. He closed his eyes as Marth stabbed him in the chest, but no one else could move.

Marth dropped Michalis's body to the stone floor with an unceremonious thud. No one moved. No one seemed to breathe.

...

Marth stared down at Michalis's bloody body. Justice had been served. That was true, at least.

_But had it? Was this really what he wanted?_

What had he _done_? Marth was a man of honor-or, at least, had been. No honorable man would have attacked like that, like a crazed animal or madman. No honorable man would have taken such cruel, unfair advantage of his adversary's time of weakness. The fight could have ended there, after Michalis had been wounded for the second time. But no. Marth had to drag it out, to force Michalis to live out his last moments in horrendous pain.

His last moments.

Marth had killed men before. He had fought in wars as a commander; it was unavoidable. And nearly every night, he dreamed of murdering Hardin. But never, never had he killed a man in a nightmarish way such as this.

Michalis's pale, lifeless face was not serene. It was bloody, beaten, drained, worn-out. He had lived his last moments in pain and terror.

All thanks to Marth.

_But he hurt Shiida. He made her cry. He _hurt _her_.

Slowly, without moving his head, Marth glanced at Shiida. She was kneeling on the stone floor, terrified, with her knuckles pressed over her mouth and her blue eyes wide with fear. No one else was moving.

Marth began to cry.

It came slowly at first, with large drops running slowly down his cheeks. Then they flowed in an unstoppable stream, with Marth letting out loud sobs and pressing his bloodstained hands to his face. His uncontrollable weeping sounded like the cries of a wounded animal.

Shiida was crying as well, silent drops running down from her wide, sad eyes. Shaking from head to toe, she stood up and slowly walked over to the sobbing Marth.

She knelt down and hugged him, trying to console him. At first, he didn't react, but after a longish while, his tears began to flow slower and slower, until finally they stopped.

But neither Marth, Shiida, or anyone else could stop shaking.

**Pretty gory. And very sad. It's getting serious for our group. I think this is my new favorite chapter, actually. PLEASE review, I honestly want to have your deep opinions of this. P.S. Pikana, if you read this, don't get mad. "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery," after all. And this wasn't even imitation, just influenced.**


	71. Uncanny Resemblance

Led by Ike, Pit, and Link, the other group slowly made their way deeper into the Gehennan castle.

"I have a feeling that things are about to get worse," Pit muttered. "Can you feel us descending?"

Aegeus nodded. "The deeper you get, the darker and more evil the traps become."

"It's darker, all right," Celice said, straining to see the path ahead of them. "I have a feeling that it's going to get very dark very fast."

"If it does," Ike said, "we need to stay calm and stick together. I know I'm usually one for crazy improv decisions, but now I'm saying we take it easy and be careful."

Aegeus nodded again. "I agree. We need to have our guards up now more than ever."

"I can't see very well," Florina whimpered.

"It's okay," Sasha said, calming her. "It's just dark."

"It's not natural darkness," Aegeus muttered. "This is to literally and figuratively keep us in the dark about something. We're going to be attacked by something shortly, and we're all going to lose our sense of sight."

Sure enough, before Aegeus had even finished speaking, an oppressive, almost tangible darkness enveloped the group.

"Stay calm," Ike said through clenched teeth amidst a chorus of whimpers, coming mostly from Mist, Florina, and Elincia.

"You don't sound very calm," Micaiah said condescendingly.

"Shut up."

"That's very rude, Isaac."

"Be quiet, both of you," Link said in a low voice. "I hear something."

"What?" Florina whispered, squeezing Sasha's hand.

"Don't you hear it?" Link took a tentative step forward. "That... that growling."

"Ike, I'm scared..." Mist whispered. "Where are you?"

"Over here, Mist." Ike felt around for his sister and managed to grasp her hand. "Don't be afraid... I can't even hear anything."

"It's your Hylian ears, Link," Pit realized. "You can hear better than everyone else."

"Ah, that's right. Everyone," Link said, his tone suddenly commanding. "Stay back. Something's ahead of us, and it doesn't sound friendly."

Link heard the footsteps of everyone moving backwards. Carefully, he began to draw his sword, then stopped.

"Oh, wait... I have a better idea." He took a deep breath, then felt around in his pocket for something. Then he paused, listened, and turned quickly in a panic.

"Look out! It's-"

Before Link could finish his warning, someone let out a loud yell.

"Celice!" Link and Leaf yelled, Link recognizing Celice's voice due to his enhanced hearing and Leaf recognizing it due to their close friendship.

"Celice, are you okay?" Link yelled, trying to make his way back to the group.

"Uhhhh..." Celice moaned. Then he said, very quickly, "Oh no... look out, it's coming, I can hear it, it's coming back agai-"

Once again, the warning was interrupted by another bloodcurdling shriek, this one coming from Elincia.

"Elincia!" Ike yelled. " Are you okay? What was that?"

"Ah... it... it's okay, it only grazed me... it was... like some sort of... of animal..."

"No one freak out at what I'm about to do!" Link yelled over the commotion as he located what he was searching for in his pocket.

"Wh-what are you gonna do?" Mist asked, her voice trembling.

"I'm going to turn into a wolf so I can use my night vision!" Link yelled before grabbing the Shadow Crystal. And that's just what he did.

...

Everything was so much clearer now, Link thought as he glanced around in his wolf form with his characteristic ice-blue eyes. He still couldn't see very well due to the unnatural darkness, but now he could make out the figures of his teammates and, after a while, figure out who was who. He glanced around quickly, but couldn't locate their swift assailant.

"Link? Where are you? Where'd you go?" Mist called with a hint of panic in her voice. Link padded over to the small girl and rubbed his head against her leg.

"Ah! Oh, never mind... it's just Link," Mist said as she tentatively patted his head.

Link glanced around again at the surprisingly wide corridor. He couldn't see the attacker at first, but then he heard a low growl.

"Please tell me that's Link," Celice groaned.

"I don't think that was Link," Mist whispered.

Mist was right. In front of both Link and the group was some sort of animal.

...

Link let out a low growl of warning at their attacker, but the animal-like thing paid no notice. Straining to see in the oppressive, shadowy darkness, Link tried to make out more of the animal's form.

Immediately, he wished he hadn't.

It wasn't... _quite _an animal. It acted like one, like a crazed, rabid dog, but once Link looked closer, he noticed that the creature had human-like features. Namely, instead of fur, it had a mane of unruly blond hair. Some parts of its limbs looked like they were made of human flesh, but the hands and feet were more like furry, bloodstained paws. It had a long tail as well, which the... _thing _was swishing back and forth.

The creature opened its eyes, and Link was alarmed to see two ice-blue orbs that were frighteningly similar to his own.

Link now wanted the darkness to return, so he could believe that the creature was merely a crazed animal-easy pickings, like the Shadow Beasts.

But now he could see that this... _thing _was no ordinary animal. It was a mutant of sorts. And it had an uncanny resemblance to... to...

Link shook his head. He was seeing things. He denied it. It couldn't be possible.

And yet...

Instead of pursuing the dark, bone-chilling thought he'd just had, Link prepared for battle with the creature. Link bared his fangs, and the creature did the same. Then they leapt at each other and began to duel.

Almost immediately after beginning the battle, Link understood that he had, at least, a single clear advantage against his adversary. The beast had no sense at all. It attacked in an insanely frenzied manner, his next action completely obvious. Link knew how to plan ahead, to use trickery. But all the while, his spine was chilled by that horrible, impossible thought he'd had.

The creature made a mad swipe at Link's eyes with its already-bloody claws. Link ducked, then snapped at his opponent's upper arm. The creature let out a howl of agony and lunged forward at Link, its weapon of choice this time apparently being its long, bloody fangs.

This time, Link leapt gracefully into the air and slammed the creature to the ground with his paw. The creature yowled in pain and attempted to bite Link's arm, but Link spun around in the air over his adversary, keeping it pinned to the ground but landing behind it so he was impervious to bites. It snarled and struggled, but its efforts were in vain, even though Link did have to strain to contain it.

Link realized that he had a new problem. He didn't know what to do next. If he weakened his grip, the creature would break free. He needed someone to help him, but he couldn't call out to anyone while in his wolf form, and he couldn't turn back to his human form without weakening his grip. And now it was only a matter of time before his grip loosened anyway, simply from exhaustion.

Link decided to let it go for now and try to weaken it some more. He weakened his grip, and as soon as he did, the creature leapt up and bared its teeth at Link. Link felt a chill again go down his spine. Just what _was _this creature?

Suddenly, Link made a motion as if he were about to dart to the left. The creature mimicked his motion in an exaggerated way, not realizing that Link had been feinting. As soon as the creature showed a sign of weakness, Link attacked, savagely biting the creature on its neck. The creature howled and attempted to claw Link's eyes out again, but Link countered the move by slashing the creature across the eyes with his own paw. And, just for good measure, or perhaps out of fear, Link bit the creature once more on its upper arm.

At last, the creature let out a small yelp of defeat and fell to the ground. Without a second of hesitation, Link morphed back to his human form, now thankful of the darkness that shielded his eyes from the monstrous creature. Not monstrous in size, exactly... it was just that thought... that insane, terrifying thought Link had had... the hellish creature bore a horrifying resemblance to-

"Link?" Mist whispered, interrupting the frightening thought Link had been pondering. "Are you... is it..."

"It's dead. Let's get moving," Link said quickly, his voice cracked and shaking. "Come on. We need to leave. Soon." He listened, but didn't hear footsteps. "What's wrong with you people?" He asked, his voice rising an octave. "Let's go!"

The group started moving. Ike cautiously spoke.

"Link... are you alright? Did you... get hurt?"

"I'm fine! I'm fine!" Link said, his voice unnaturally shrill and hysteric. "Let's go! Let's just... just go! Come on! I want to get _out _of here!"

Although even long after the group had exited the dark corridor, neither the dark feeling nor the scary thought that Link had had wouldn't leave him for a very long time.

**BIG SHOUT-OUT TO PIKAAAANA FOR LENDING ME HER CHARACTER! You are awesome, Pikana! XD I'm guessing, if you've read Circo de la Luna, you can guess who Link's lovely little adversary was. If you haven't... well, go read that story (by Pikana, of course), because I'm not mentioning his/it's name. Review, b'vakasha! (That's "please" in Hebrew.)**


	72. Beauty and the Handsome Beasts

Yuria heard screaming.

She couldn't see anything, but she could hear the distinct sounds of someone screaming in agony.

After she processed the sound, Yuria thought immediately of Celice. She hoped with all her heart that he was alright and that he wasn't the one who was screaming.

She wondered where she was, but she was too frightened to open her eyes. So she decided to listen harder and see what she could discern from the sounds around her.

The person who was screaming wasn't Celice, or even her twin, Yurius. She didn't recognize the voice of whoever it was, and that comforted her. But all the same, she still felt pity for the poor tortured screamer.

Next, Yuria used her sense of touch to "see." She seemed to be reclining on a soft, silken surface, perhaps a bed or couch. To her despair, she could also feel heavy metal chains weighing down her wrists and ankles.

"Awake?" Someone's voice called, startling her into opening her eyes. She realized that she had been correct to fear opening her eyes, for her abductor, the vampire archangel Gabriel, was sitting on a cushion not two feet away from her.

Yuria automatically flinched away from him. She had heard the deal Pia had made, which she didn't begrudge her of, so she knew that he wouldn't kill her immediately. All the same, she was still terrified of him.

"Ah, good. I was beginning to think you'd never wake up," Gabriel continued. Yuria tried to look away, but it was difficult. He seemed like her brother, as her friend Teeny had once described him: _He has this charm that attracts people to him. Yet he can be as cold as ice... __It's terrifying... almost like he's not even human. _Except for in this situation, Gabriel literally _was _as cold as ice, and he actually wasn't even human.

Yuria didn't say anything, so Gabriel went on. "I'm actually glad... Yuria, is it? I have someone to talk to now." Yuria noticed that his voice sounded heavy with bitterness and sorrow. "Look what they're doing to my brother." He gestured with his hand in the direction of the screaming.

Yuria now saw an even more terrible sight: a young man with an ankle-length mane of black hair, dark olive skin, and black wings even bigger than Gabriel's was kneeling on the floor in agony. He was the source of the screaming, but Yuria couldn't figure out what the source of his pain was.

"His necklace," Gabriel breathed, seeming to read her mind. "Look."

And then Yuria saw it. Clasped around the handsome archangel's neck was a glowing, red-hot necklace. It seemed to be burning him, choking him, and maddening him all at the same time.

The archangel stopped screaming for a moment and began breathing laboriously in short, pained gasps.

"More, Michael, or should I end it and send you back to the dead?" A scratchy, snobby girl's voice rang out from the back of a throne-like chair in front of him. "You deserve it, you know. You honestly thought you could get away with defection?"

"It... was... worth it..." Michael panted, clutching at his neck. "Be... sides... you... need... my... power."

"I have two others just like you, you know," the girl taunted him. She spun the chair around to face Michael, Gabriel, and Yuria. Michael's dastardly assaulter had ankle-length flaxen hair, a terrific, top-heavy figure, and wore a barely-there tank top and an ankle-length layered skirt. "Now... do you want me to _actually _display my power?"

"Do your worst," Michael breathed through clenched teeth.

The girl shrugged and snapped her fingers. Immediately, the necklace glowed red-hot and Michael began screaming again. Gabriel let out a delicate shudder, Yuria averted her tearing eyes, and the girl swiveled her chair around to face away from the other three.

"She's so horrible," Gabriel said in a strained voice.

"Wonderful. Now even _Rafe_'s been beaten," the girl whined. She stood up. "I'll have to go alert the others. You guys have fun, now," she said in a singsong voice as she left.

"Thank God," Gabriel muttered. "Michael... are you alright?"

"Yeah," Michael grunted as he stood up. Then he grinned. "It takes more than a silly necklace to defeat me." He walked over to the couch where Gabriel and Yuria were sitting and plopped down on the other side of Yuria. "It's... Yuria, right?"

"Yes. Or Julia, if you like," Yuria managed to whisper.

"She seems a little skinny, Gabriel... are you sure she'll be enough for you?" Michael asked, half-serious and half-joking. All the same, it still terrified poor Yuria.

Gabriel laughed. "Yeah, she'll be fine. Besides, if they lose to us, I'll get her _and _their leader."

"The girl with the long brown hair?" Michael asked. Gabriel nodded. "That's too bad. I liked her."

"Are you alright?" Gabriel asked, turning to Yuria. "You're shaking."

"I..." Yuria choked.

"Speaking of which, Michael, what happened to that little girl who was with you?"

Michael's face fell and he squeezed his eyes shut. "They took her away," he whispered. "And she was crying, too, and they didn't care. She was crying for me. She..." Michael swallowed. "She _trusted _me."

"I... I'm sure they wouldn't be so evil as to hurt a defenseless little girl, Michael," Gabriel said.

"No," Yuria whispered. Both of the handsome archangels turned to her with expressions of incredulity. "My brother... twin, actually, Yurius... he steals children from their parents. He kills some of them." Yuria fought to hold back her tears and took a deep breath. "What did he look like... the one who took her away?"

Michael swallowed again. "He had... long red hair. And some sort of symbol on his forehead."

"That's him," Yuria said in a cracked voice.

"Oh, no," Michael whispered.

"Michael... Gabriel..." Yuria managed to say. "Who is that girl? Why are you here? And... and who's the _real _leader around here?"

Gabriel stared at the ceiling, considering something. "I think we can answer two of those without getting in trouble," he said slowly. "That girl is Lilith. She... she isn't the prime leader-I can't tell you who the real one is-but she's pretty high up there. We're here because the leader somehow managed to revive us. But in return for the leader's bringing us back to life, we had to share our power with him _and _work for him. Lilith is the one who enslaved us. We're too powerful to be controlled entirely, but we're still enslaved by these **...** necklaces." Gabriel tugged at his own red-and-black necklace in contempt. "And, Yuria... you'd better watch out. She has... a special power... I can't tell you exactly what it is, but... it could be devastating for your team."

"Why are you telling me all this?" Yuria asked in awe.

Gabriel opened his mouth to say something, then shut it. "I... I can't tell you that. But I will say... I think your chances of surviving are pretty high." He leaned closer to her and pressed his cold fingertips to her neck. "Although I wouldn't say no to a nice meal..."

She had almost forgotten that he was planning to kill her.

"Gabriel..." Michael said in a warning tone.

Gabriel sighed. "I know, I know. Not while you're in the room."

"Listen to me, Yuria," Michael said suddenly, grabbing her shackled wrist and pulling her closer to him. "I don't care if we get in trouble or not. You have to warn your teammates."

"You're letting me go?" Yuria said incredulously.

Michael glanced at Gabriel. "If you're alright with it..."

Gabriel tapped his fingernail against his pointed teeth. "Hum. I suppose, if she agrees. But... you realize that if we let her go, she'll be all on her own. We'd have to kick her out the door and let her wander." He shook his head. "We can't do that. It's too dangerous. For us and her."

"You're right," Michael agreed with a sigh. "It's not like we can just return you to your team members..."

"Wait!" Yuria cried. "Isn't there some way I can contact them from here?"

"Let's see..." Michael said, drawing his wings in closer to him as he crossed his arms. Yuria let out a delicate shudder. "We should try to do this in a way that involves the least amount of pain possible for both us and you. We have some abilities that could be useful, but I'm not sure how we'll put them to use."

"What abilities do you have?" Yuria asked.

"I could mimic your voice..." Gabriel offered.

"That could work!" Michael exclaimed. He stood up and began pacing and muttering to himself.

"Yes... he might not believe... all the same... got it." Michael paused and looked at Yuria. "You're coming with me," he said, crushing Yuria's chains in his hand before taking her by the arm and pulling her up. "Gabriel..." Michael stared at Gabriel for a few moments. Gabriel stared back, then nodded.

"That'll work," he said. "Yuria... come over here, please." Obediently, Yuria walked over to Gabriel, wondering what he had in store for her.

"If I'm going to mimic your voice... there's something I need to do first." Gabriel hesitated, then tilted her head up and kissed her.

Perhaps it was the shock of the unexpectedness of the action, perhaps it was the prospect of having his sharp teeth so close to her throat, or perhaps it was the outstanding fear Yuria held for the beautiful vampire archangel, or maybe all of them combined. Either way, Yuria promptly fainted into Michael's arms.

Michael looked down at her slight figure for a moment, then looked up at Gabriel.

"Did you actually have to do that in order to mimic her voice?"

Gabriel grinned. "No. I just made that up on the spot."

***Sigh.* Oh, Gabriel. Anyway... we now have a deeper insight as to just how horrible Lilith and the true leader are. And what is Michael's plan? Oh, and sorry for the late update. This might be the last one before... FINALS! EEEEEEEK! WISH ME LUCK PLEAAAASE! And review as well XD**


	73. Gabriel, um, TRIES to Help

Marth and his group walked wearily through the seemingly endless passageways of the fortress. Everyone was tense. Marth was holding Shiida's hand tightly, to make sure he would never, ever lose her again.

So naturally, everyone was shocked and surprised when they heard a sweet, high voice ring out from the darkness in front of them.

"Marth? Is that you? Can you hear me?"

Marth (and everyone else) jumped about a foot in the air. Marth drew his sword.

"Who are you?" He asked fearfully. "Show yourself!"

"Marth! It's me-Yuria!"

"Yuria?" Marth lowered his sword an inch. "Is this a trick?"

"No. That's her," Aless said in awe. "Yuria? Where are you?"

"I-I'm using magic to throw my voice. You can hear me okay?"

"Yeah!" Lyn said. "Are you alright, Julie?"

"Yes, yes, I'm fine. Michael and Gabriel haven't hurt me... yet," Yuria said, her voice trembling. "Listen. I have something very important that I need to tell you. It's about Lilith." She took a deep breath. "Whatever you do, don't look into her eyes."

"What? Why?" Marth asked.

"Just don't! Don't question it. Don't look into her eyes, or else you'll be enslaved like Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael were," Yuria said in a tremulous voice. "She'll be able to control your body, but not your mind. So she could make you duel against your teammates, and you would be powerless to stop it, but you'd know what was going on."

"Yuria..." Roy said slowly. "How exactly do you-"

"Ah!" Yuria said suddenly, sounding as though she'd been caught. "I... I have to go. Remember: don't look into her eyes!"

"Wait! Yuria, how do we know you're-"

Yuria gasped, and the sound reverberated through the dark passageway. Then, they heard nothing.

Marth sighed. "Aless. You're sure that was her?"

"Positive. But there's nothing we can do to help her now."

Marth turned to face his group, as though preparing to give a speech. "What do you guys think? Trick? Trap?"

"Well, it can't hurt even if she's wrong," Lykei reasoned. "I mean... just don't look into her eyes. How could that harm us? Even if she was lying... it won't matter."

Pia nodded. "We should take her advice. It can only help, not hurt."

Lykei smiled and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, that's the basic gist of what I was trying to say."

Marth remained silent for a moment. "Good idea, guys."

"I hope Yuria's alright," Catria said worriedly. "She sounded frightened."

"She probably was." Pia rolled her eyes. "She was just captured by a very thristy vampire archangel. I wouldn't exactly be shaking with laughter if I were her." She paused. "Sorry if that sounded mean. I'm rather tense, if you haven't noticed."

"It's okay," Catria said sincerely.

"Alright. So, guys, remember: don't look into Lilith's eyes. For those of you who are unfamiliar with our flaxen-haired foe, she's the superhot one with crazy long blond hair." Marth took a deep breath, then turned into the ominous, foreboding passageway. "Onwards. To considerably less certain death now that we have a tip."

...

Ike's group was, like Pia and the rest of her group, rather tense. Since Link's minor meltdown, the mood seemed to have darkened. Even Ike seemed somber and determined.

Suddenly, all of them stopped short at a faint "Hello?"

Ike held out his blazing sword in warning. "Who's there? Show yourself!"

"Ike, stop!" Celice cried. "That's Yuria!"

"Sure?" Ike didn't lower his sword an inch.

"Ike! I'm positive! Yuria! Where's the rest of the group?"

"Celice, I... I was captured by one of the archangels. But he and his friend decided to rebel and allow me to contact you."

"How were you captured?" Celice asked in anguish.

"The point is that I'm fine, Celice. And I need to-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold on a second," the now-paranoid-and-slightly-hysterical Link said, stepping in front of Celice. "How can we be sure you're Yuria?"

"It's her! I'm sure of it!" Celice said.

"You can't be sure about anything except death," Link retorted.

"And taxes," Aegeus chimed in.

"Yeah," Link agreed. "But I digress. Tell us something only Yuria would know."

Gabriel, who was concealed from the group around a corner of a corridor, bit back a swear.

"Like what?" He called in Yuria's voice, regretting it as soon as he said it.

"Who was with Yuria when she first met Celice?" Celice challenged.

"Levin," Gabriel answered in Yuria's voice, feeling a tiny bit smug that he happened to know that particular tidbit of information.

"What color hair does Yuria's twin brother have?"

"Red."

"What was Yuria's first word?"

Gabriel couldn't answer that. "Look, that's not the-"

"Ha!" Link declared triumphantly. "You aren't Yuria, are you?"

"You dirty imposter," Celice growled angrily. "Yuria-the _real _Yuria-knows very well that her first word was 'naga.' Who are you? Show yourself, scum! Or are you... afraid?"

At this point, Gabriel's short temper got the better of him. He was trying to _help _this puny team-risking his _life _even-and they weren't even _appreciating _it? Without thinking twice, he stepped out from his hiding place, grabbed Celice's shoulders, and began roughly shaking the skinny, ponytailed Lord until his teeth chattered.

"IT-DOESN'T-MATTER-IF-I'M-YURIA-OR-NOT!" Gabriel roared, switching back to his icy cold, clear, bone-chilling normal voice. "I-AM-TRYING-TO-HELP-YOU! SHUT UP AND LISTEN, YOU SKINNY LITTLE BLUE-HAIRED SHRIMP!"

Everyone, including Aegeus and Leaf, was too shocked to help poor Celice, who looked as though he was about to faint.

"LISTEN TO ME NOW!" Gabriel continued, still screaming in the terrified Celice's face while baring his pointed teeth frighteningly. "WHEN YOU MEET LILITH... DO NOT LOOK INTO HER EYES! SHE WILL CAPTURE YOUR SOUL AND FORCE YOU TO DO HER BIDDING LIKE SHE DID TO ME!" He took a deep breath, then leaned in so close to Celice's face that their noses were nearly touching. "And now, because of _you_, I'm probably going to _die_ for betraying her."

Celice, despite usually being a brave Lord, couldn't speak. No one could blame him. Who could when he had a very thirsty, very angry vampire archangel standing literally an inch away from him?

"You remember that," Gabriel hissed at the now-petrified Celice. "Goddamn _remember _it. Don't. Look. Into. Her. Eyes." Gabriel stared at Celice with his own furious bloodred eyes, and for a second, Celice truly believed that Gabriel was going to bite or attack him.

Gabriel threw Celice to the ground in contempt, then spat at him. He kneeled down and grabbed Celice by his long hair.

"Who's the scared one now, Celice?" Gabriel breathed before letting him go. Then he turned and disappeared without a trace.

Immediately, everyone ran to help Celice, who was gasping for breath and shaking like a leaf.

"A-are you... alright?" Mist asked. "Are you hurt?"

Celice merely stared straight ahead with horror-filled blue eyes. Ike helped him to his feet, but Celice had to lean on him for support afterwards.

"And the moral of the story is," a slightly trembling Aegeus said, "one should not piss off highly irritable vampire archangels."

Celice nodded vigorously. "Uh-huh... uh-huh..."

**I say that's a good moral to live by, although it may be unappliable in later situations. Poor Leecy. Anyway... Gabriel tried, didn't he? And it looks like poor Celice is just the one who made him snap. I immensely apologize for the late update... but it was worth it because I got rather excellent grades on my finals. Hooray! And to make me even happier... review, por favor!**


	74. Enemy Swap

"Celice-you're _sure _you're all right?" Sasha asked for the billionth time.

"Yeah, of course I am!" Celice said quickly in a shrill, unnatural voice-similar to how Link had sounded after defeating his mysterious adversary.

"Eh?" Ike said, stopping in his tracks. "Look here... what's this?"

Ike was standing in front of a slightly opened door.

"Ike..." Aegeus said in a warning tone.

"Eh, don't worry." Ike pushed open the door and his jaw dropped open.

"Ike, what's... whoa." Pit said as he took in the odd, stunning sight.

Ike, Pit and the others were looking at a magnificent bedroom. Bright and beautiful, it was hung with golden tapestries, lit candles, and fruit and cheese platters.

What was utterly _ab_normal about the room, however, was the destroyed iron cage sitting in one corner, the fresh blood splattered over the floor and walls, and the broken, bloody body lying in the center of the room.

"What in..." Ike breathed.

"Who..."

"Where..."

"How..."

"What the hell is going on?" Aegeus roared.

"Who is that?" Elincia asked, shaking.

"I... I don't know," Ike said truthfully.

Ike, soon followed by the others, began slowly walking towards the body. When he reached it, he gently turned it over.

"Wow..." Ike said, at a loss for words.

The poor man had evidently spent his last moments in pain and terror. His dark red hair was matted with blood and clumped together in one spot, as if someone had held it tightly in the moments before his death. His eyes were closed, but his facial expression revealed that he had been frightened as he died. And his body itself...

"Looks like... h-he was attacked by... s-some animal or something," Link said, his voice shaking.

The man had been stabbed multiple times: once on either side of his ribcage and once through the chest, which was apparently what had killed him. His arm, too, was missing a long strip of flesh. The wound was so deep that the poor young man's bone was showing.

"I wonder who it was..." Mist said sadly.

"I wonder whose _side _he was on," Aegeus said. "Sasha... do you remember this man at all?"

Sasha hesitated, then nodded. "Yes. He was an enemy. I don't know who he was, though."

"Enemy or not, I don't think anyone deserved a fate such as this," Micaiah said.

Ike nodded. "Unfortunately, _Michaela_, I agree with you once again." Ike had been kneeling by the man's body, but now he stood up and turned to Sasha. "Sasha, do you know any... death rites, or anything...?"

Sasha nodded. "Yes. I do."

The handsome healer knelt down by the broken body and began reciting a melodious incantation in a language unknown to everyone except Aegeus, Juliàn, and Ashliela. Even though nearly no one understood what Sasha was saying, it seemed to bring everyone pleasure, like a calming breeze on a hot summer day.

When Sasha finished chanting, he tapped the body with Raphael's beautiful staff. A calm expression came across the young man's tortured face, and then his body disappeared in a flood of golden light.

"Rest in peace," Sasha said softly as he rose.

"That was beautiful, Sasha," Florina said.

"Thank you, Florina," Sasha said, sounding distracted.

"Should we get going, then?" Ike asked.

Aegeus nodded. "Yes. Come on, everyone. We have work to do."

And they all left, feeling somewhat as though a massive burden had been lifted from their shoulders.

...

"I sure am glad it isn't dark anymore," Roy said as he and his group traipsed through a now-light corridor.

Marth nodded, although his words still seemed heavy with grief. They would for a while. "Yeah. It's like in Luigi's Mansion when you come back to a room. It's not as scary all lit up."

"It's still kind of scary." Shiida clutched tightly to Marth's hand.

"Well, of course it is. We're in hell-or were you talking about Luigi's Mansion?" Lyn squinted ahead, then turned to Shiida.

"Well, both, really..."

"Everyone stop." Marth's words, infused with fear and strict command, caused the walking and conversation of everyone in the group to come to a strict halt.

"What?" Lykei asked fearfully.

"What... is... _that_?" Marth asked, sounding horrified and disgusted. He pointed a shaking, still-bloody finger at a... a...

"What _is _that?" Lyn asked incredulously.

"That's what _I _want to know," Marth breathed.

"It looks like... some sort of animal," Sue suggested. But even the tough Sue sounded scared.

"More like a mutant of some sort." Soren inched closer to the bloody animal-like creature lying in the middle of the corridor.

"Careful, Soren," Marth cautioned, stepping forward along with him.

"That's odd," Aless said. Even _his _voice was a bit shaky. "It... it looks... familiar."

"I was thinking the same," Agamemnon agreed. "Like... almost like..."

"Mem, shut up," Marth said. "Nothing personal. I just don't want to hear it. And I know everyone's thinking the same-" Marth gestured to the whole of the group. "-but don't say it. For the love of God, don't say it."

"What do we do?" Serra, who was digging her nails into Isaiah's arm, asked fearfully.

"We go around," Aless said forcefully. "Come on. I know it's scary, but..."

They all did so, some shaking so much with fear that they had to be carried.

After everyone was across, Pia let out a gasp.

"What? What is it?" Marth asked, sounding paranoid and high-strung.

"It... I think it's alive."

An eerie, uneasy silence fell upon the terrified group.

"Then we should just get out of here faster, then shouldn't we?" Marth said harshly.

"Agreed!" Pia sounded close to hysterical tears as she and the rest of the group hurried away from the monstrous creature.

"Although..." Roy murmured when they were a while away. "It really kind of did look like-"

"_For the love of God, Roy, don't say it_!"

**This, my friends, is a form of irony. Creepy, no? It's nearing the climax now. Also, another shout-out to PIKAAAANA to lending me her character. If there was any doubt, yes, that was Link's former adversary. (Who isn't dead yet, by the way.) If you don't know who it was that Sasha put to rest, check out Chapter 70. (My fave chapter, by the way.) And as opposed to abusing commas and ellipsises like I usually do, this time around I abused adjectives and adverbs. I am so very incredibly terribly sorry, ads! Please review as well.**


	75. The Great Reunion

**Yes, chapter name is stolen from the Subspace Emissary. But it's appropriate!**

"Hey, Marth..." Roy said hoarsely. "Izzat water?"

"Is what water?" Marth croaked.

"Oh, never mind... it's just glass." Roy pointed ahead at a gleaming wall of glass preventing them from advancing farther into the dark-but-lit-with-torches passageway.

"Way to get all our hopes up, Roy," Pia grumbled.

"It's okay, Master Roy," Wolt said quietly. "It was probably a mirage."

Marth walked up to the wall of glass and touched it with his palm. It felt strange, almost like it was vibrating. Marth squinted and tried to see through the glass... then gasped and drew his sword.

"What? What is it?" Shiida asked shrilly, stepping forward.

"Morphs! A lot of them! Come here-look!"

The group thundered forward, drawing their swords and readying their arrows. If they'd thought they were tense and high-strung _before _seeing the monstrous creature, they were very wrong. In addition to being way more tense and high-strung than before, the whole group was now hot, tired, thirsty, panicky, and restless all at once.

"Can everyone see?" Marth asked in a high, cracked voice. Marth, the unofficial leader, was probably the worst of them all. In addition to suffering from all the ailments that the entire group was suffering from, Marth's fight with Michalis had severed his attachment to sanity, and he hadn't fully reattached it yet. He had been antsy and restless, jumping at small noises. His clothes were torn, his hands bloody, and his hair mussed, not to mention the wound on his shoulder from Michalis's lance, which he'd been too distracted to ask Serra to heal. His midnight blue eyes were still bloodshot, and he had also broken a blood vessel in one. He looked like a wild man who had just spent a month in the jungle and hadn't quite adjusted to modern life yet.

Roy and Pia, the other unofficial leaders, were exhausted and bedraggled as well. Roy's spiky red hair was limp and matted with sweat, his blue eyes had lost their mischievious sparkle, and his face was so pale that his cute, mostly invisible freckles looked like dots of blood.

Pia was suffering as well. Her eyes were red, and it looked like she'd been crying. The strands of hair that perpetually hung around her face now stuck to her sweaty, flushed cheeks. Her hands were shaking, and she was irritable, snapping at anyone who annoyed her in any way.

But because of the darkness, none of them could see just how bad each of them were. Each thought he was the only one who was so tired, so they all kept quiet. Even though their reflections were now slightly visible in the glass, none of them cared to look, their minds fixated on eliminating the current threat.

The corridor on the other side of the glass, where the morphs were, was pitch-black. The group on the dimly lit side could, however, faintly see the outlines of the morphs' bodies, along with their trademark golden eyes and black hair.

"Come on! Let's try to break through!" Marth ordered in that sick-sounding voice.

Surprisingly, the glass shattered after Marth struck it once. He blinked, then charged at the surprised-looking false humans.

...

Ike squinted ahead into the distance. "Guys! I think I can see light up there!"

The rest of the tense and tired, but still hopeful and determined, group eagerly followed Ike into the dim light. This group wasn't nearly as beaten and bedraggled as Marth's group. Except for Link, most of the members felt pretty good. Tired, hot, and thirsty, but nowhere near the mad desperation the members of Marth's group were falling victim to.

Ike, Pit, and Link theorized that it might be because of the beautiful staff Raphael had given to Sasha. While it didn't help the group to see in the oppressive darkness, it seemed to radiate a spiritual light that filled each person's heart with hope, like the light of Palutena that had revived Aegeus.

When Ike reached the light, he was surprised to see a wall of glass separating the corridor his group was in and the dimly lit corridor ahead of them. He walked up to the glass, but didn't touch it.

"What in..." Ike squinted into the dimly lit hall and was shocked to see a group of figures staring back at him.

"Guys! Come over here!" Ike's group curiously followed him to the wall of glass.

"See that?" Ike asked.

"Yeah! Who _is _that?" Pit wondered.

Ike peered closer at the mass of bodies in front of him, then had a brainstorm.

"Hold up a sec," he said, turning to his friends. "Does anyone have an ability that'll help us see through illusions or obstructions?"

"We could ask for Florina's help again," Sasha said kindly, turning to Florina.

Florina blushed and giggled. "Well... uh... I don't know how we can get rid of the illusion, but I think that it's trying to keep us from seeing whatever's in the corridor ahead of us."

"Yeah," Ike agreed. "Any guesses as to who it is?"

"The enemies, trying to ambush us or sneak by?" Aegeus suggested.

"Maybe..." Ike mused.

"We could try to destro-" Before Celice could finish his sentence, one of the figures on the other side of the glass wall clumsily swung what looked like a sword and shattered the glass wall, then charged at the surprised group.

Ike quickly swung his sword and parried the leader's blow, but all of the other dark figures rushed forward, each picking out a foe.

Chaos reigned in the corridor. Everyone was screaming, trying to fight carefully because they couldn't see, and bumping into each other.

Ike's rival was amazingly fast, but his attacks seemed vaguely-no, not vaguely, _very _familiar.

"My noble opponent! Pray tell me: what is your name?" Ike managed to ask as he and his opponent clashed swords in a standstill, switching to his proper medieval dialect so as to get on his opponent's good side.

The figure gasped and tumbled backwards.

"Everyone! Hold your fire!" His opponent yelled in a hoarse, yet horribly, horribly familiar, voice.

"M... Marth?" Ike cried, dropping to his knees besides his fallen rival. "Marth, is that... is that you?"

"Ike?" Marth croaked. "It can't be..."

"It is! Marth, buddy, hold on!"

Marth coughed and tried to stand, but fell. Ike rushed to his side and helped him up.

By now, everyone had stopped fighting and dropped their weapons in shock, now realizing their opponents' identities. Aless had been fighting Celice, and Agamemnon was fighting Ashliela. Roy had been fighting his new friend, Leaf, and Rath had been fighting his daughter, Sue.

It was a cruel, cruel tactic of the enemies. Luckily, everyone realized what was happening before anyone was seriously hurt.

But before anyone could really reunite, the ground beneath them opened up and everyone tumbled down into a deep, dark pit.

...

"Everyone okay?" Marth rasped.

Grunts of "yeah" and "uh-huh" were heard throughout the cold, dark room they had been imprisoned in.

"Marth... what _happened _to you?" Ike asked, sounding anguished. "You... you look like a madman!"

Marth winced. "I don't... really want... to talk about it."

"Look at you!" Ike wouldn't let up. "What happened? Your shoulder-you're hurt!"

Marth stared up at Ike, tears welling in his eyes. Then he pulled his best friend into a weak, but friendly, hug.

"I _missed _you," Marth whispered.

As Ike and Marth embraced, everyone else realized just how much they had missed all their friends who were in the opposite group. Soon, everyone was hugging their friends. Aless and Celice shared a quick, yet sentimental, hug, as did Rath and Sue.

"Missed you," Ashliela said to Agamemnon, hitting him lightly on the shoulder.

Agamemnon grinned. "Same here, sis."

Pit and Pia were hugging tightly. "I know we're trapped, but I feel a lot better now," Pia whispered. She was right. Everyone felt a lot better being all together again.

As soon as Ike finished hugging Marth, he went on to hug Lyn, as well as giving her a passionate kiss. Marth squeezed Shiida's hand, finally not feeling left out.

"And, hey," Ike said, raising his eyebrows. "Who's this?"

Everyone turned to look at Shiida, who smiled at all of them.

"Guys," Marth said, his hoarse voice taking on a happier tone, "this is my girlfriend, Shiida."

"Hi," Shiida said, blushing a little.

"Wow..." Ike stared at the battered, yet pretty, girl for a while before walking over and shaking her hand. "I'm Ike. It's great to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you too, Ike," Shiida said, her eyes glowing. "I've heard you're Marth's best friend."

"My boyfriend as well," Lyn chimed in.

"Wow, Marth... I thought she was...?" Pit began.

"Yeah. Me too." Marth stared at Shiida adoringly. He still couldn't believe she was really alive.

"Speaking of which..." Marth reached out his hand, then drew it back, blushing.

"What... oh, yes." Shiida opened her dress a little near the top, revealing a large scar near the middle of her chest.

"He missed," Shiida said simply.

Marth gaped at her before turning to everyone else. "Anyway... Shiida, this is Link, Pit, Celice, Aegeus, Sasha, Leaf, Rath, Florina, Klein, Mist, Elincia, Micaiah, Juliàn, and Ashliela."

"Wow," Shiida said, her eyes jumping from one person to the next. "It's nice to meet all of you."

"Same here," Pit said cheerfully.

There were smiles and hugs all around for about a minute longer before reality finally set in.

"Seriously, Marth, what happened?" Ike asked. "You're covered in blood... even your eyes!"

Marth winced. He hadn't noticed that. He had probably broken a blood vessel while screaming at Michalis.

"Sasha!" Ike only had to call once, and the handsome angel was at Marth's side.

"What a beautiful staff, Sasha," Marth said after Sasha had healed him. Marth still had patches of dried blood on various parts of his body, but his eyes were no longer fierce and bloody, and his shoulder was healed. He also looked less tired.

"The Archangel Raphael gave it to me," Sasha said in his high, quiet voice.

"He's been beaten," Ike informed everyone.

"That makes two," Roy muttered, glancing at Marth.

"Huh?" Ike, and everyone in his former group, looked at Marth, who looked as though he wanted to sink into the ground.

"I... killed one of the enemies," Marth said softly.

"Which one?" Celice asked. "Did he have long red hair and a symbol on his-"

"It wasn't Yurius," Marth said, cutting Celice off for the second time. "It was Michalis."

"Oh yeah... him," Ike said, unaware. "What's he look like?"

"Long black robes, reddish hair. He had a lance, and-"

A gasp went through all of the members of Ike's former group.

"What?" Marth asked.

"We... that guy... who was completely covered in blood?" Ike asked.

"I thought he was mauled by an animal!" Link said. "That... that was _you_?"

A tear rolled slowly down Marth's cheek. "Yeah."

Ike, noticing Marth's reaction, shushed his former group. "I get the feeling... you're not too proud of that."

Marth laughed without humor. "No."

"Well, anyways, it's nothing compared to what _we _saw!" Roy piped up. "Remember, guys? The animal-mutant thing that looked like-"

Marth clapped his hand over Roy's mouth. "_Shut_! _Up_!" He roared.

"Mmkay, m'sorry," Roy mumbled as Marth removed his hand.

"Link?" Ike asked. "Are you okay?"

The subject of everyone's gaze was now the green-clothed warrior, whose ashen face was filled with renewed terror.

"Saw..." he croaked, pointing a shaking finger at Roy. "You saw... looked... looked like..."

"Link..." Pit said, putting an arm around his friend. "Take it easy, man. It's over. It's gone."

"It was alive," Pia sighed. "I'm sorry, but... it was still alive when we passed it."

"Ohhhh..." Link moaned, leaning on Pit's shoulder for support.

"Anyway..." Celice said, looking around. "Just where are we, anyway?"

"Well, it's about time!" A terribly familiar-to-some, preppy-blonde-like voice whined.

Everyone whirled around to find the source and saw Lilith herself standing there.

"You...!" Juliàn seethed as she smiled infuriatingly. "You are the one... who took my sister away?"

"It's not like it _matters_, Josè," Lilith giggled. "You're Mexican. You have a billion others, right?"

"My name... is Juliàn Castrejana," Juliàn said calmly, although his voice shook with fury. "You kidnapped my sister." He drew his sword, tears welling in his odd blue eyes. "Prepare to die." He lunged at her.

"Juliàn, no!" Pit cried. "Her eyes! Don't look at her-"

But it was too late.

Lilith's eyes flashed golden, and Juliàn fell to the ground.

"Get up," Lilith commanded, her voice still sounding "blonde," but now more serious instead of light and giggly.

Grimacing, Juliàn did so.

"_Lo siento_," Juliàn whispered to his stunned friends. "I'm sorry."

"You should be." Lilith smiled, showing perfect white teeth. Then she disappeared, taking Juliàn with her.

"Oh, no," Pit whispered. "Juliàn... he's a skilled warrior."

"Remember what Yuria said," Aless breathed. "Don't look into her eyes."

"That wasn't Yuria, Aless," Celice snapped. "That was Gabriel pretending to be Yuria."

"Really?" Pia asked. "So... he was trying to help us?"

"Why would he do that?" Ashliela wondered aloud.

"Well, we already know that the archangels aren't too pleased to be working for Lilith," Pit reminded her.

"Yeah. Most of them are willing to go pretty far to escape and defect," Aegeus added.

"That makes me feel so bad for them," Shiida said sadly.

"I know," Lyn agreed. "She's so horrible."

"Guys! Focus! We need to get out of here!" Marth walked over to one wall of the cavernous room and began feeling the cold stone with his hands.

Soon, everyone else followed suit, feeling around on the floor and walls, poking crevices with their arrows, swords, and lances to check for hidden exits.

But, deep down, all of them knew that their efforts were probably in vain.

...

"Look at 'em," Michael sighed as he, Yuria, and Gabriel watched the team attempt to escape.

"Trapped like rats. There aren't any exits to that room," Gabriel added.

Yuria's silvery eyes were fixated on the image of Celice desperately trying to find a way out.

"Don't worry, Yuria," he muttered. "I'll save you."

Yuria sighed as she pressed her thin fingers to the T.V. screen. "Please hurry."

"What, we're not good enough for you?" Gabriel asked, sounding hurt.

"No! No, I just..." Yuria let out a quivering breath. "I'm worried for them."

"They can't get out," Michael said, looking sad.

"And the... the being is..." Gabriel glanced at Michael. Yuria looked at them questioningly, but received no response.

Michael stared determinedly at the image of the trapped team. His gaze hardened. He sighed and nodded, then turned to a confused Yuria.

"Yuria," he said softly. "Gabriel and I are going to save the team."

"R-really?"

"Yes. Right now. If I don't make it-_when_ I don't make it-tell Juliana to be a good girl and to not do drugs." Michael and Gabriel stood up.

"Let's do it," Michael said before disappearing into thin air.

Yuria brought her fingernails to her mouth. Although they would almost certainly die, Yuria still prayed that they would somehow live. She had grown to like the dangerous archangels, no matter how scary they were (or tried to be).

And if they died, she would be truly sad.

...

"Any luck?" Pia asked everyone as they regrouped in the center after approximately fifteen minutes of fruitless searching.

"Nothing," Ike said dejectedly.

"Well, when you think about it... why would the enemies make a room we could escape from?" Aegeus pointed out.

"Well, wait a sec! What if one of the angels flies back up the way we came?" Serra asked.

"That... that might work," Isaiah said. He jumped up to fly, flapped his wings once...

...and landed with a thump on the stony floor.

"What was that?" Lykei asked, sounding scared.

"I... I can't fly," Isaiah said, astonished. "Is it just me, or...?"

"I can't either," Aegeus said, sounding alarmed. "Why?"

"It's probably a spell of some sort," Pia said dejectedly.

"I think they've clipped our wings," Agamemnon said, his voice hushed.

"When could they have done that?" Ashliela asked, sounding scared.

"Anytime. We couldn't see behind us very well, and it was all dark. Or... it could have been Jonathan! He's so fast we wouldn't have noticed at all!" Agamemnon's tone turned furious. "And he calls _us _traitors!"

"Mem, I think you're right." Pit closely examined the other angels' wings. "They've all been clipped."

"Does that mean you can't fly anymore?" Ike asked, sounding very alarmed.

"Yes, but only for a few days or so. The feathers grow back fast," Aegeus assured him. "But while we're incapacitated like this... it could be dangerous."

"Hey!" Pit said. Everyone turned to him and was quite surprised to see him hovering in the air a few feet above the ground.

"Pit! How can _you _fly?" Ashliela asked.

"I-Jonathan must have skipped me. On purpose, probably, knowing that my wings are pretty much useless," Pit sighed as he carefully descended. "It's a small advantage, but it is something."

"If you can somehow obtain the Wings of Icarus again, you could fly, too!" Sasha said enthusiastically.

"But we need to get out of here first," Pit began.

"And we're going to help you do just that," a somewhat-familiar voice from above them said.

Michael and Gabriel slowly descended onto the ground as the stunned and astonished team members looked on.

"We've decided to help you," Michael said bluntly.

"Although it'll probably cost us our lives," Gabriel sighed.

"Why?" Pia asked, her eyes wide with surprise and hope.

"Because we're sick of this. Goddamned sick of it. And if we manage to get out of this alive, we're gonna turn over a new leaf." Michael answered.

Childishly, Leaf grinned.

"So... how exactly are you going to get us out?" Marth asked.

"We're gonna carry you. We may be enslaved, but our wings aren't clipped." Gabriel clapped his hands. "Who's first?"

Everybody took a small step back.

"Really? Fine, then. I'll just grab random people." And he did just that, roughly grabbing an unhappy Pia's arm. "Man, you people are so spoiled," he said, smiling incredulously at a scowling Pia. "We offer to put our lives on the line to rescue you, you turn up your noses. Jeez."

"I'll go with you, Gabriel," Marth said bravely. Gabriel, not too gently, took his arm.

"Be ready," Michael warned as he grabbed Ike and Pit. "We won't have much time."

"Before you guys go-" The green-haired Wolt spoke up shyly. "Um... I think the more important people should go first. Not us extras from Fire Emblem."

"It's not that we're scared," Soren said quickly to a smirking Gabriel. "We just feel like they-the leaders-should be priorities."

"I get it," Michael said approvingly.

Then he and Gabriel opened their giant black wings, jumped and soared up out of the chamber, depositing the shaken Pia, Marth, Ike, and Pit in a cavernous, yet comfortable-looking, room. Around the edges, it was furnished with some couches, chairs, and T.V. screens. It was definitely the enemies' inner sanctum.

"Have your weapons ready," Michael instructed as he and Gabriel jumped back down into the pit.

The four stood back-to-back tensely, weapons out and at the ready. Within seconds, Michael and Gabriel flew back up with Link, Celice, Aegeus, and Roy.

The new four scrambled to draw their weapons and join the first group, but before they could even get into formation, Michael and Gabriel flew back up with Mist, Shiida, Lyn, and Lykei.

"That's the last one," Michael said breathlessly, dropping to one knee. "That's all we can do."

"How do you know?" Pia asked.

Michael pointed, and everyone saw that the hole Michael and Gabriel had been jumping down to rescue the team members had disappeared.

Marth looked around at the twelve team members that Michael and Gabriel had almost certainly given their lives to save.

"Thank you," Marth said quietly.

"What'll happen to everyone else?" Aegeus asked, squeezing Lykei's hand.

Michael sighed. "They'll be enslaved like your Mexican friend, most likely."

"But remember, they said they didn't want to do that anymore," Gabriel reminded him.

"Oh, yeah. They said earlier that enslaving people like that wasted their energy. So, most likely, only the most powerful of your friends will be enslaved."

"Who's 'they?'" Pit asked.

Michael took a deep breath. "Well, we're gonna die anyway, so we might as well tell you. It's... the being."

"The what?" Ike asked dubiously.

"Capital B-E-I-N-G. Stands for Brutally Evil Inconceivable Negative God. It's Dr. Manhattan, it's the creator of Tabuu, it's-"

Suddenly, Michael gasped and fell to his knees. A second later, Gabriel followed suit. The two grabbed at their necks, where, the group was horrified to see, their glowing red necklaces were burning them horribly.

Their bodies shook with pain, but other than that, they couldn't move or speak. The necklaces were slowly constricting their windpipes while burning the skin around their necks away.

Before the shocked group could do anything to help them, Michael and Gabriel collapsed.

"No!" A familiar voice shrieked from behind them. The team whirled around to see a crying Juliana and a shaken Yuria, the source of the outburst.

"Yuria!" Celice cried, beginning to run towards her.

"No! Celice, don't! It might be a-"

As Yuria tried in vain to warn Celice, the ground began shaking, and a huge fissure appeared in the ground. Celice stumbled backwards and fell. Ike tried to help him to his feet, but stopped when he saw what had erupted from the fissure.

Seven tall pillars, arranged in a parabolic sequence, starting out small, then getting taller and taller as they neared the middle. On the two outermost stood a nasty-looking man swathed in sweeping robes and a turban that covered half his face and a vaguely handsome, yet tired-and-insane-looking, older man dressed in purple armor. On the two second outermost stood a young man with long red hair, sweeping black robes, and a symbol in the middle of his forehead and a hunched, disgusting old man who didn't look a day older than three hundred. On the second innermost stood Lilith herself and a demonic-faced man wearing outrageously large red robes and a ridiculous turban.

And hovering above the innermost platform was... the BEING.

**So. Much. To say. For one thing, everyone wish a happy birthday to Miss Pikana Chuster; her birthday is July 17th, I believe. Also: yes, yes, I know, this is kinda late for me. Okay, okay... it's very late. But... it's summer! And I just got a new copy of LUIGI'S MANSION! Yeah that's right, and I'm already at BOWSER after like one day of playing! *Hit on head by squishy tomato.* Yuck! Okay, okay, I'm sorry. But guys: next chappie is HUUUUU-JUH! And so was this one, come to think of it. Review, pretty pretty pretty pretty pretty pretty pretty pretty pretty pretty pretty please! Also it's my birthday in a few days; reviews will make a nice prezzy!**


	76. Shaky Confidence

The BEING was...

It was.

It simply... was.

And, with that fact alone, it was impossible, inconceivable, and incomprehensible.

The BEING didn't seem to take a single, partially tangible form as Tabuu had. To each person, it appeared as a conglomeration of their deepest fears, its face too horrible for anyone to look at full-on. It was terrifying, repulsive, hideous, vile, unspeakable, nightmarish... it was _everything_.

Looking at the BEING, the team couldn't imagine why the enemies would need to gather so many people, or why they were so slowly tainting their homelands. The BEING could have persuaded everyone in Angel Land, Hyrule, and Fire Emblem World to join the dark side faster than it took Ike to inhale a bucket of fried chicken.

It was as if the enemies were simply teasing the team, tricking them into thinking they had a chance.

It worked.

Marth, Ike, Link, and Pit remembered facing a similar situation not so very long ago. At first, Tabuu had seemed invincible. And he was, nearly. He had decimated the entire legion of brawlers without exerting any effort at all.

Things had seemed hopeless, but it turned out that Tabuu was merely a powerful coward, shielding himself with the Great Maze, which at first seemed impossible to beat, but turned out to be completable. Once Sonic shattered Tabuu's wings, the whole team seemed to blink in revelation. They could do this. They could. They _could_!

It was their confidence in themselves that had given them the power they needed to defeat the entity. They needed that confidence again.

However, considering the rather different circumstances of their current position, summoning confidence would be a little trickier this time.

Before, it had been thirty-five tough, strengthened-by-trials brawlers against one entity-albeit an incredibly powerful entity. Now, it was twelve weakened-by-trials semi-fighters against six (maybe seven) hardcore enemies, undoubtedly their now-enslaved former team members, and an insanely powerful entity.

Even the brawlers, who had beaten Tabuu, were thinking the same despairing thought as the rest of the team:

_We're screwed_.

No one had spoken yet, but Lilith broke the silence.

"Give up?" She asked simply, yet snidely.

Pit shook his head. "Nope."

"How about now?" Lilith snapped her fingers and a section of the floor slid open, a platform rising up from below it.

The team gulped. Standing on the platform were Juliàn, Agamemnon, and Ashliela. All sported black body armor, somewhat similar to Sheik's, and dead, emotionless red eyes. In the middle of them was Link's former adversary, the lion-like creature, now fully healed.

"Hiding behind others again, eh, Lilly?" Aegeus growled.

"Oh, that's such an ugly accusation, Aegy," Lilith retorted. "I prefer the term 'adding to our ranks.'"

"So what do you plan to do with us?" Ike asked bravely.

Lilith tapped her chin. "Oh... this." She gestured to the BEING. Suddenly, a blanket of darkness came across the eyes of each team member, and they crumpled to the ground.

...

Celice opened his eyes drowsily. Wherever it was, it was completely dark again. He shivered.

Finding himself unhurt, he immediately stood up and called out for his friends.

"Ike? Marth?" Complete, utter silence answered him. "Anyone?"

"I'm guessing that 'anyone' includes me," a cold, charismatic voice said from behind him. Celice whirled around and was surprised to find that he still possessed his sword. Drawing it, he turned to face the direction from where the voice came.

"Now, now, Celice. Is that any way to greet your own half-brother?"

Before Celice could react, the lights came on with a bright flash. Celice blinked in surprise, then scowled at the smug-looking figure of his corrupted half-brother, Yurius.

Celice remembered what Soren had said about Yurius's soul combining entirely with that of Loptous, but he could detect no difference in his half-brother's appearance. He was exactly the same as Celice remembered him: handsome, with long red hair, gleaming red eyes, and a cross-shaped symbol in the middle of his forehead.

Yurius's mouth twisted into a malicious grin. "It's been a while, brother."

"No brother of mine would commit these atrocious sins," Celice answered evenly in proper medieval dialect. "Where are we?"

"Well, how would I know?" Yurius laughed madly. Celice realized that he was probably insane, and it scared him. Maybe that was what Loptous had done to him. "It doesn't matter, anyway. All that matters is that you and I are alone. No one to get in our way. And now, I will proceed... to kill you."

Again, Celice was denied a reaction. He only just had time to dodge as a wall of black magic came barreling his way. He executed a neat side aerial and landed gracefully on his feet, then charged at his brother.

He swung his sword in a roundhouse motion at Yurius's left arm. Yurius ducked, then disappeared. Celice whirled around and started when he saw him standing right behind him, grinning.

"Right-handed, eh?" Yurius guessed correctly.

Celice didn't answer, but then gasped as Yurius exhibited a new tactic: he constructed a sword made entirely of black fire and grabbed it with his right hand.

"Then this should be easy for you," Yurius said as he lunged at Celice.

Celice parried the blow easily, then struck at him. It knocked Yurius's sword slightly off-balance, and the red-haired young man stumbled backwards.

Celice lunged at Yurius again, this time striking a bit harder so as to knock him even more off-balance. As Celice expected, Yurius had learned to hold the sword more tightly and how to receive Celice's blows on the correct part of his sword.

Even so, Celice managed to force his half-brother back with quick, simple hits to his sword until Yurius was pushed up against a wall of the domed, circular room they were in.

"You're very good, dear brother," Yurius said, smiling, as he attempted to hold Celice off. "In fact, I believe you have a chance to win."

"Then why are you smiling?" Celice asked, feeling nervous.

"Because I know something that you do not know," Yurius responded as Celice pressed him closer to the convex wall.

"And what is that?"

"Unlike you, I am not right-handed." Before Celice could react, Yurius kicked Celice in the stomach, causing him to fall, and threw his black sword into his left hand. Then he charged at Celice.

Celice raised his sword and blocked Yurius's sword from slicing his head open, but the blow was so powerful that it forced Celice's sword down, breaking his nose and preventing him from standing.

Celice remembered Aegeus's fight with Raphael and kicked Yurius in his stomach. It didn't push him back at all, but it gave Celice time to roll over and begin to stand. As he was getting up, Yurius struck at him again, so hard that it began to bend Celice's wrist backwards. This had also happened to Aegeus, but Celice couldn't remember how he'd managed to avoid getting his wrist snapped. It wouldn't have mattered anyway, because Yurius then eliminated Celice's chance of escape.

Still forcefully pressing his sword against Celice's, Yurius kicked his brother to the ground and held him there, standing on Celice's feet so he couldn't kick him again. He smiled as he heard Celice's wrist break with a sickening crack.

Celice cursed and bit back the tears, feeling a wave of nausea overtake him. He clumsily switched his sword to his left hand. Surprisingly, Yurius allowed him to stand, only to lunge at him once again.

With his weak left hand, Celice couldn't fight back at all. He could only just parry Yurius's attacks as he stumbled backwards over and over again, close to losing his balance. Once, he failed even to parry. Yurius feinted to Celice's right, then struck his left arm.

Pain coursed through Celice's entire body, adding to the pain from his broken nose and wrist. The sword had not only cut Celice's arm; the black magic had infected the wound and was quickly poisoning him.

Celice didn't even make it to the other side of the room. He collapsed, fighting back tears as Yurius stood over him and laughed.

It was the last thing Celice heard before he fell into darkness.

...

"_No_!" Yuria shrieked. "No, no, no, no, _no_!"

She, along with Pit, Pia, Marth, Ike, Link, Roy, Aegeus, Mist, Shiida, Lyn, Lykei, Juliana and the enemies, had seen and heard everything.

They were unhappy spectators on one side of a huge, circular, glass-domed arena. The enemies and their hypnotized teammates were sitting on the other side. They could all hear and see perfectly what was going on inside the arena, but Celice and Yurius couldn't hear them.

"One down for your team," Lilith said with a smirk, snapping her fingers. Part of the wall peeled away to reveal a scoreboard of sorts. It looked somewhat like an ordinary scoreboard for a baseball game, but this one was different. There were a number of glass windows stretching far across the wall, each one big enough for a body instead of a score number, and above each one had a number, where the inning number for a baseball scoreboard would be. One row of glass body-holders read "SMASHERS." The one above it read "UTOPIANS" (apparently, the enemies' name for themselves).

Lilith snapped her fingers, and in the Smashers' body-holder below the number 1, Celice's bloody, battered body appeared. At the end of the "utopians'" row of body-holders, a tally mark also appeared.

"That means we've won one match so far," Lilith informed them happily. "Every time you lose, the loser's body goes up in your row under the match number they lost. As you can see, the loser Celice's body is pinned up under match number 1. Same for us. Now, who's next?"

"I believe it's the two enslaved archangels," King Hardin, the red-robed turban-wearer, said gleefully.

"And fighting them is _you_, Aegy," Lilith said.

Aegeus remained stone-faced. "I could take them both any day."

Pit, Pia, and Lykei shared worried looks. Aegeus _was _powerful, but against two of his brethren, he could be facing a challenge.

"All righty then!" Lilith said. She snapped her fingers, apparently a favorite motion of hers, and Aegeus and the enslaved Agamemnon and Ashliela disappeared, only to reappear inside the arena.

...

Aegeus felt a small pang of sadness as he looked upon his enslaved friends. Hopefully, he wouldn't have to kill them. It would also be a difficult battle. Beating one of them would be easy, but beating two might put some strain on him.

Aegeus took a deep breath and began to construct his battle plan. He continued thinking even as the enslaved Agamemnon and Ashliela took their positions on either side of him and simultaneously shot black arrows at him.

Aegeus leapt into the air and landed behind Agamemnon. Ashliela tried to warn her twin, but Aegeus already had his arm around Agamemnon's neck.

Aegeus wasn't trying to bargain with Ashliela and get her to surrender; he was just trying to get Agamemnon unconscious. Strangely, though, Ashliela did nothing to help her struggling twin as Aegeus squeezed his best friend's neck tighter and tighter.

Soon, Aegeus realized why she wasn't helping him. It seemed like it was impossible for Agamemnon to lose consciousness. Aegeus had been cutting off his air supply for about a full minute now, and Agamemnon didn't even seem to be hurt. He seemed only annoyed as he struggled to escape.

Eventually, Aegeus just let him go. He shoved Agamemnon away and drew his sword. Agamemnon leapt backwards to stand with his sister and the two once again simultaneously shot arrows at Aegeus from afar. Aegeus flipped over the attack, then ran at the two before they could reload.

He knew it would be difficult, if not impossible, to knock them out and win.

But if he couldn't knock them out... how _could _he win?

Aegeus shuddered as he grasped the chilling truth.

But it never hurt to try, so Aegeus decided to try and chip away at the two before administering the final solution.

Aegeus charged the two, then hit them both in the stomach with a powerful roundhouse slash. As he expected, they recovered immediately and ran at him.

Suddenly, Ashliela disappeared. Before Aegeus could wonder where she'd gone, he felt her behind him, her arms tightly wrapped around his neck.

Aegeus was much stronger than her, so it wouldn't take much to get her off. He yanked at her arms and found that she was much stronger than he had expected, probably because of the forced enslavement. He tried to simply shake her off, then tried to reach behind him and grab her neck to choke her as well. He turned his head to see exactly where her neck was located, completely forgetting about the other twin.

That was his mistake. Aegeus lost his concentration when he turned his head, and as soon as his head was turned, he felt the cold, sharp point of a knife stab him in the chest-a horrible sensation all too familiar to him.

Agamemnon's red eyes were cold and unfeeling as he pulled the knife out of his best friend's chest. Ashliela slipped off his back and scurried to her brother's side, both of them giggling maliciously.

Agamemnon had, in fact, missed Aegeus's heart, but it had severely weakened him. Aegeus moaned in pain, then fell to the ground and closed his eyes.

The twins crept closer to the once-again fallen archangel. Agamemnon bent down next to him, his red eyes alight with curiosity and malice. He still held the bloody knife in his hand.

In a flash, Aegeus leapt up from the ground, flipped in the air to get behind Agamemnon, then pushed him, hard, to the ground. He knew what would happen before it did.

Agamemnon gasped and winced as he looked down and saw his own knife piercing his chest. One fleeting look of fear and disbelief crossed his face, and then his eyes closed and he fell.

Aegeus looked down, defeated yet triumphant, at his best friend's still body. He teetered a bit on his feet, then fainted, falling next to Agamemnon.

...

"Wow," Pia whispered after the epic battle was finished.

"Certainly had me on my toes there for a while," Lilith agreed.

Pia shot a withering glare at Lilith. "So whose victory is that?"

"Well, the girl survived," King Hardin pointed out, smiling snidely at a furious Marth.

"I say," Lilith said thoughtfully, "that we count that as a victory for both sides."

She went through her favorite motion, and Aegeus and Agamemnon's bodies each appeared in the Smashers' and Utopians' body-holders, respectively, under the number 2. A tally mark also appeared at the end of the Smashers' and Utopians' rows, marking two victories for the enemies and one victory for the Smashers.

"Who's next?" Lilith asked happily.

"How about... Lord Zephiel and the red-haired runt?" Hardin suggested.

"I would be honored." The vaguely handsome, yet insane king stood and smiled evilly at the small red-haired boy.

Roy stared determinedly back at him. More than anything, he wanted to defeat Zephiel and show the others that he was powerful as well. He was tired of being regarded as a red-haired runt.

"Bring it on," Roy whispered, and the two disappeared.

...

Roy faced Zephiel, hard-set determination evident on his face.

"You shall not bar our path to utopia, runt," Zephiel stated.

"That's too bad. 'Cause I'm thinking I will." Roy leapt at Zephiel and the battle began.

Zephiel's scepter, Eckesachs, transformed into a giant sword and sparked with electricity. He quickly swiped it at Roy's legs.

Roy nimbly leapt over the sparking sword and reared his own sword back to slash at Zephiel, but before he could behead the corrupted king, Zephiel raised the electric sword to hit the boy out of the air.

Roy aborted his maneuver, falling to the ground and rolling to the side neatly. From the ground in a kneeling position, he swung his sword at Zephiel's legs.

Incredibly, Roy actually managed to wound one of the evil king's legs. Zephiel roared in pain as blood dripped from his injured leg, hopping around on his other leg in a comical fashion. Roy couldn't resist a giggle or two at his expense.

"Boy!" Zephiel shouted, pointing his gigantic, electrified sword at the amused Roy. "Enough! Now you pay!"

Inching backwards from Roy, Zephiel swung his sword, missing Roy completely. Roy was confused until he was hit with a massive wave of electricity. His small body shook and jerked with pain, and his eyes rolled backwards into his head. Then he crumpled to the ground.

Unfazed, Zephiel walked up to the boy and kicked his lifeless body. Roy stirred. Zephiel stepped back in surprise.

Unbelievably, Roy managed to stand slowly, breathing hard and leaning heavily on his sword for balance.

The small redhead shuddered, shook off the pain, and charged at Zephiel once again. Zephiel raised his sword to block the blow, then completed the motion, throwing Roy backwards. Then he charged at Roy.

Roy managed to block him, but it was hard. Zephiel was much bigger and stronger than he was, and so was his electrified sword.

_It's... lightning, damn it... _Roy thought as he attempted to hold Zephiel off. _It only has to brush me, and..._

Noticing how much force he and Zephiel were exerting to keep the other at bay, Roy suddenly stepped away. Zephiel stumbled forward. In the meantime, Roy ignited the Sword of Seals and swung in Zephiel's general direction.

Some of the fire grazed and wounded Zephiel, but it didn't weaken him nearly as much as the lightning weakened Roy.

Zephiel bared his teeth and lunged at Roy once again. This time, the strength he expressed was too much for Roy to block, even though he managed to raise his sword in time. The force was so great that Roy was thrown backwards seven feet, landing on his back at a bad angle.

Zephiel rushed forward to the fallen boy. Without even bothering to stab Roy in the heart, Zephiel merely pointed his great sword at Roy's chest.

A huge bolt of lightning shot from the king' sword and tore straight through Roy's entire body. Roy let out a deafening scream of pain, and his body twitched horribly for about half a minute. Then he lay, quite still, on the ground.

...

"I'd say that's a clear victory for our side," Hardin said snidely to the dumbstruck Smashers.

"You fought well, Roy," Marth whispered as the small Lord's broken body was pinned up inside the Smashers' glass box under the number 3 and a tally mark signifying a third victory was awarded to the enemies.

Everyone shared Marth's sentiment. Even though Roy hadn't managed to defeat Zephiel, he had showed everyone else that he was capable of fighting.

"Three losses," Lilith said, holding up three fingers to make sure the Smashers understood exactly what she meant. "Not doing too well, hmmm?"

She was, unfortunately, correct. They had lost three of their best fighters and had only managed to take out one of theirs. And Agamemnon wasn't even really an enemy. They really weren't doing too well, and they all knew it.

"How about a coffee break?" Lilith suggested.

Ike made a face. "Ick."

"Good! Coffee for everyone!" Lilith clapped her hands, a new motion, and cups of coffee with plenty of cream and sugar appeared in the stands.

"This really isn't good," Marth muttered as he poured cream into his coffee, brought it to his lips, thought better of it, and put it down.

"We've lost three of our best fighters," Pia said sadly as she poured out her coffee into the stands.

"Guys... we can still win this," Pit said in a low voice. Then he whispered: "I've been draining the energy from everyone who's already fought-Yurius, Ash, and Zephiel. They won't be able to fight again."

"Why not the non-injured enemies?" Ike asked.

"They'd notice," Pit explained simply. "The ones who've already fought are tired and wounded anyway. The ones who haven't are energized and waiting to fight."

"I must defeat Hardin," Marth muttered. "I must. I must. I must."

Shiida squeezed his hand. "I know," she whispered.

Suddenly, Marth stood up. "Hardin!" He yelled. "I challenge you!"

Hardin snickered. "Well now, boy. So eager to rush to your death?"

"You mean so eager to rush to _your _death? Yes."

"Confident, eh?"

Marth remained silent. Anger bubbled and burned in his chest like lava rising in a volcano. But he wouldn't lose his senses. Not this time. This time, he would earn a true victory.

"Tongue-tied?" Hardin called.

"Get on with it," Marth replied sharply.

"As you wish, boy."

...

Marth and Hardin stood at opposite sides of the domed arena. Marth already had his sword drawn and was pointing it directly at Hardin's chest. His expression was cold and stony. Marth was fighting to kill.

Hardin laughed. "Boy, I defeated you once. I gave you your scars, don't forget."

"I will never forget," Marth said in a deadly whisper. "You were my friend. And you took _everything _from me." Marth's grip tightened. "Now that I have found you, I will _kill _you."

In the stands, Ike whispered to Shiida, "They were _friends_?"

Shiida, who was crying silently, nodded. "Yes. Fast friends. They were very similar to each other. And then..." Shiida glared at Gharnef.

Marth and Hardin stood and stared at each other for a little while longer. Then they charged at each other.

Their blades met perfectly, with a great clash of metal. Marth was glad that Hardin, at least, had opted for a sword; it would be much easier to defeat him.

Unfortunately, at this point in the battle, Marth didn't have enough adrenaline in him to make him strong. He was pushed backwards a few inches by Hardin.

All of a sudden, Marth drew his sword back and rolled out of the way as Hardin fell forwards. Before Marth could wound him, however, Hardin rolled to his feet as well. He was surprisingly agile for a large man dressed in heavy red robes.

Marth lashed out and struck Hardin's sword again. This time, he was not pushed back. They were completely equal.

Marth suddenly jumped into the air and did a backflip by slamming his feet into Hardin's stomach as momentum. Until Hardin stumbled back, Marth managed to keep their swords in a deadlock.

After Hardin stumbled back, Marth landed on his feet and took off running instantly. He struck at Hardin savagely, but Hardin managed to block him. Marth brought his sword behind him in a circular motion: beginning low, then bringing it up above his head to gain momentum, then smashing it onto Hardin's.

Once when Marth was doing that to gain momentum, Hardin brought his own sword back and struck at Marth's stomach.

Marth, so fast he was nearly a blur, flipped into the air and landed neatly _on top of Hardin's sword_.

Hardin gasped. Marth kept his face stony and slashed the evil king on the arm, removing a long strip of both clothing and flesh, exactly what Marth had previously done to Michalis.

Marth slowly backflipped off Hardin's sword as the red-clothed king sank to the ground, moaning in pain.

"Why did you not behead me, or slash me through the heart?" Hardin grunted.

"It would have been over far too fast," Marth replied, his voice flat and cold with hatred. "I simply couldn't have that."

Marth, honorably, waited for Hardin to recover. As soon as he did, he charged at Marth, strangely fast for a wounded fat man.

Marth, expecting such, ducked as Hardin roundhouse slashed at him. Then he sprang up into the air and kicked Hardin in the face, breaking his nose.

Vengeance for Celice as well.

Hardin stumbled backwards, clutching his face. Then he roared and lunged at the gymnastic little prince.

Hardin brought his sword straight down, aiming to split Marth's head open. Marth simply stepped to the left and Hardin struck the floor.

Marth was truly an incredibly skilled swordfighter-when he had his wits about him, that was. His honed vision and senses could detect what move his opponent would make even before he or she made it. Marth would study the position of his opponent's hands on his or her weapon and the form of his or her body, and his reflexes were amazing. He could detect one shift of his opponent's foot and deduct when, where, and how they would attack. It was as if everything was slowed down for Marth, making it easy to dodge and strike.

Of course, Hardin was making it all too easy for him.

Hardin brought his sword up again, aiming for a downwards roundhouse slash. Before he could complete the maneuver, Marth stopped the path of Hardin's sword with his own, locking them in a standstill.

Marth stayed that way for a while, enjoying the thrill of the fight. Then he kicked Hardin in the knee, leapt into the air, did a front handspring using Hardin's turbaned head as momentum, and tackled him to the ground.

Once Hardin was felled, Marth wasted no time in incapacitating him. He stabbed the backs of Hardin's knees and slashed him multiple times on his back, mimicking the whipping Hardin had given him years before. Then he turned him over and kneeled on his chest, pointing the Falchion at the Coyote King's throat.

"Offer me money," Marth hissed.

"What?"

Marth jabbed his sword into Hardin's throat, drawing a thin stream of blood.

"Offer me money."

"Yes."

"Power too. Promise me that." Marth jabbed his sword deeper into the dastardly king's neck.

"All that I have and more."

"Offer me everything I ask for," Marth whispered.

"Anything you want," Hardin replied in a strained voice.

Marth leaned in close to Hardin's face, so close that their noses were almost touching. He bared his teeth, then growled, "I want _everything _back, you son of a bitch!"

And Marth raised the gleaming Falchion high, then brought it down, piercing straight through Hardin's chest. The prince of Altea stood up triumphantly. He had finally gotten his revenge, and the battle had been one of the greatest he ever had. He was, at last, at peace.

The edges of his lips curled up into a victorious smile.

...

Shiida gave her prince a long, passionate kiss as Hardin's body was pinned up in the enemies' glass body-holder under the number 4 and a second tally mark was given to the brawlers. The score was two to three, and Marth hadn't been injured.

The confidence that the team needed to defeat the enemies and the BEING was slowly building up.

**How many words did this chapter have? OVER 4500! Actually, it really was over 4500... which is half of 9000! Look for the Princess Bride references; there are more than one! Also the one in the previous chapter! Sorry for late update, but as you can see, this chapter is MUY FANTASTICO!**

**BIG HUGE INCREDIBLE IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: JULY 31st is EMILYSAMARA's BIIIIRTHDAY! HOORAY HOORAY HOORAY! Look for a special reveal about me on my profile! And my author avatar (NOT Pia, surprisingly) will be coming out soon! Also: look for a birthday story that a dude who goes by the name of nmbh1pwnr will maybe write for me! :D And don't forget to review; best b-day prezzy EVAR! Bye now!~~EmilySamara**


	77. Winning, Unlike Charlie Sheen

Marth had triumphed in more ways than one. Instead of being nervous and depressed like before, the team was now eager to defeat the enemies and raring to go.

"Who next?" Lyn called with a hint of jeering in her voice.

"How about _you_, my sweet Southern belle?" Nergal smiled creepily, beckoning at Lyn with a gnarled finger. Lyn recoiled, but drew her sword, the Sol Katti.

"So be it, you deformed madman," Lyn replied regally, and the two disappeared.

...

Lyn gulped as Nergal smiled. She was eager and prepared to fight him, of course, but it would be difficult to combat his dark magic, Ereshkigal, with a sword.

"Little girl from Sacae..." Nergal mused, stroking his tome. "You'd do well to vanish. One such as you is no match for me."

He had said that to her before, a million years ago while Hector and Eliwood were still alive. Then, she had fought for Hector and Eliwood. Her soon-to-be-husband and her dear friend. Now, she fought for Ike and Roy. Her new boyfriend and her honorary son-in-law. Once again, she would take this twisted man down.

Nergal didn't let her recite a little speech as he had done. He launched right into attack.

Lyn had plenty of time to dodge left as a mass of dark magic came barreling toward her. Inwardly, she smiled. Ereshkigal might have been powerful and have infinite uses, but it was slow-moving, at least to her. Speed was her specialty.

Nergal launched another attack. This time, Lyn didn't just dodge to the side. She took a route that was a tad more risky and dodged diagonally to the right, not just to the side, so she would get closer to Nergal in less time. After she dodged, she kept her balance and kept running towards Nergal.

Nergal launched another mass of black magic at her. This time, Lyn went left diagonally and made a decision to mix up the direction she would take in the future so Nergal wouldn't foresee a pattern.

Sure enough, as Nergal reared his hand back and Lyn feinted to the right, he aimed his magic toward her right. Lyn quickly rolled diagonally to the left again, got to her feet and kept running. Then she decided not to roll anymore; it was slower than simply running.

Lyn tended to learn from her mistakes and stick to her resolutions, which came in handy during the battle. Also, she was confident but not _over_confident, which also helped her battle skills by helping her think straight, keep her adrenaline flowing, and not lose hope. She knew that one she got close enough to Nergal to fight him, it would be pretty easy for her because swords worked better at close-range. Unless you were Zephiel, that was.

After a while, Nergal began firing multiple blasts of magic. Sometimes two to the left, sometimes two to the right, sometimes one on either side. Lyn had to stay focused. A single misstep could cost her the entire battle.

Then Nergal sent three blasts of magic in her direction, like three big black bowling balls. There was nowhere she could dodge. Lyn thought frantically, then decided to make a huge gamble.

To Nergal's immense surprise, Lyn sheathed her sword and began running faster and faster towards the barrage of black magic. Her friends and enemies who were watching were stunned as well. Where was she going with this? Was she sacrificing herself? Did she foolishly believe that she could survive it?

And what did Lyn do as the magic bore down on her?

She _jumped_.

She jumped right over the enormous wall of black magic, an incredible, agile, cat-like jump reaching nearly eight feet high. If Lyn hadn't spent her whole life training and fighting, it would have been impossible.

But now, Lyn had a new problem.

How would she _land_?

Lyn solved the problem by thrusting out her hands and executing a nimble, fall-breaking forward roll as she landed. As she finished in an almost seductive-looking lunge position, she drew her sword again.

The two stared at each other for a split second, Lyn's expression somewhat smug and Nergal's obviously incredulous.

Then Lyn charged.

By now, she was at such close range that Nergal couldn't defend himself quickly enough. She ducked and administered a clean slash that went straight up from his left thigh to his right shoulder, slicing open everything in between.

Nergal gasped, growled, and fell to his knees. The turban that covered his facial deformity unraveled, revealing his grotesque eye and scar.

Lyn pondered over whether to kill him in his moment of weakness. She quickly decided to slash the tendons in his hands and feet after rendering him unconscious.

Lyn stood and admired her handiwork for a moment or so. Then she gave a small smile and said in a low voice:

"Fatality."

...

"All _right_! Way to go _Lyn_!" Ike cheered as the green-haired Sacaean returned triumphantly to the stands. Nergal's body was pinned up in the enemies' glass body-holder under the number 5, and a tally mark was given to the Smashers. That gave them...

"Three to three," Pia whispered in awe. "Way to go, Lyn! You tied it up!"

"Oh, Liiiiiiiiiink," Lilith sang sweetly, smirking at the blond warrior. "How about your turn now?"

Link licked his lips and took a deep breath. He didn't want to believe or admit it, but the truth was that he was scared of the devilish... _thing_ he had previously faced in the black corridor. Something about it gave him a very dark, uncomfortable feeling. He didn't want to see it or hear it, let alone fight it.

Nevertheless, the brave Hylian stood up on shaking legs and prepared to face his worst nightmare.

"Link, wait." Ike stood up and put a reassuring hand on Link's shoulder. "You don't want to fight it. I can tell. I will. I'll fight it."

"Thanks..." Link sat down breathlessly, not even trying to argue with Ike.

Ike disappeared and reappeared in the arena. Link turned away, feeling nauseous. He chose to skip watching this fight.

...

Ike gulped as he took in the eerily familiar facial features of the lion-like creature. As if the uncanny resemblance wasn't terrifying enough, the creature's whole mutant-like, beastly appearance was rather unsettling, with some parts of it human and some lion.

The tough-skinned Ike shook off the feeling and prepared for battle, giving his prized golden sword a quick stroke before charging.

Surprisingly, the beast didn't fight back. It nimbly leapt backwards, then pawed at the ground, almost seeming to whimper a little.

Ike slowed to a stop, but was still wary. He wasn't one to completely distrust everything he ever came across, but he knew it could also be a ruse for him to let down his guard. Then he began to wonder if the thing was even smart enough to plan out something that elaborate.

Ike actually lowered his sword at this point and began to think, leaning on the hilt of Ragnell as a thinking pedestal. Was the beast really unwilling to fight Ike, or was it just faking? If it was unwilling, then why was it unwilling? Was it smart enough to fake out Ike like that?

Ike heard a low, rumbling growl that jolted him back to reality. Startled and angry at himself for straying from the battle, Ike stared at the creature. It was sitting, swishing its tail slowly, and seemed to be waiting patiently for Ike to make a move.

Ike raised his eyebrows dubiously, then shrugged. It it wasn't going to attack him, he would just attack it.

Ike charged again, raising his sword high above his head and bringing it down straight in front of him, an easily avoidable and clumsy maneuver. Ike just wanted to see if it would move.

It did move, leaping nimbly to Ike's left. Ike quickly pivoted in its direction and struck again, this time with his signature powerful strong-side roundhouse slash.

The sword connected with the lion-mutant-thing with a satisfying jolt and sent it sailing across the room. It rebounded and got to its feet impressively fast. It shook and stood there for a minute, then came running on all fours at Ike.

Ike could tell that it was done playing around now, and he was glad. It had been getting a little creepy. Ike sidestepped the attack, and as the creature slid and swiveled around to come running at him again, Ike met him mid-dash with an impromptu-but-still-powerful Quick Draw.

It wasn't knocked as far back this time, but it was definitely angrier. It growled, crouched, then sprang up into the air, aiming to scratch Ike's face with its long, sharp, mean-looking claws.

Ike sidestepped again, causing the beast's claws to become impaled in the floor. Ike saw his chance and hurried to stab it, but before he could, the beast managed to free its left paw and before Ike could back off, the creature had slashed him clean across the face.

Ike stumbled backwards and experienced that horrible split second of dread and anxiety that comes right after sustaining an injury and right before the pain settles in.

Then the pain settled in.

Ike screamed once, long and loud, holding his right hand to his bleeding face, feeling sick as the warm blood flowed down his hand and arm. He was scared that his eye itself might have been scratched as well, because it hurt, and decided to keep it closed.

"That hurt!" Ike said indignantly. "That really hurt!" Angrily squinting his good eye, Ike pointed his now-flaming sword at the almost guilty-looking beast. "You're in for it now, kitty!" Ike growled in a way similar to the beast, then charged at it.

Ike wasn't playing around either. He aimed his giant sword in a diagonally downwards slash at the beast's left arm-paw-thing and swung with all his might, which was a lot.

It didn't sever the limb, but the force of the blow knocked the beast to the floor. Ike then roundhouse slashed it across the room. It recovered and leapt at him again. This time, Ike leapt into the air to meet it and, raising his sword above his head in a similar way to his very first maneuver, Ike struck the beast out of the air.

After it fell and Ike dropped down next to it, Ike kicked the beast a few times in the head, not minding the deep scratches he received on his ankle, until it stopped struggling. He was angry, and wanted it to suffer as he had.

The bloody beast seemed to sigh, and then it did something that shocked Ike to the point of a slight mental breakdown.

It spoke.

It was in a slurred, gruff, nearly inaudible voice, sure, but it definitely did speak.

"Nicezz... grrr... fight, M-Maszzter."

Ike swallowed loudly, feeling sick and uncomfortable, then managed to nod.

"Uh, yeah... you too."

...

"Don't look at the scoreboard, Link," Ike muttered as he returned and the beast's body was pinned up under the enemies' number 6.

"Ike! Man, what the hell was that at the beginning?" Marth asked incredulously. "What were you doing, meditating?"

"Naw, just thinking," Ike said with a shaky grin. Then he winced at the pain in his face.

"Ike... that looks really painful..." Link swallowed, pointing at Ike's bloody, lacerated face. Three deep, parallel grooves streaked down the entire right side of Ike's face, from his forehead to the underside of his chin, one going straight across his closed eye. It was really bad, and would definitely leave a scar.

"No healing!" Lilith chirped from the other side, referring to the eager Mist.

Ike cursed a few times in quick succession, then bit his lip. He untied his bandanna and used it to dab and clean his face, then held it there, wincing occasionally.

"Well, we won," he said eventually. The score was now four-three, Smashers' favor.

"My turn now." Link quickly surveyed the now-smaller assortment of enemies, taking care not to glance at the scoreboard that held the body of the beast.

"But who?" Link wondered. He had been surprised that there had been no enemies from his homeland there at all. Then he had seen the beast, and it made sense to him. But now it had been defeated. So who could he fight?

"I challenge you, elf," a cold, emotionless, and yet sadly familiar voice answered Link. Link raised his eyes in dread at hearing the heavy Mexican accent.

The black-clothed, red-eyed, soulless version of Juliàn Castrejana rose and smiled cruelly at Link. The Hylian warrior's eyes took on that icy, professional look they always took on when a serious battle was about to go down.

"I accept" was all Link said before the two were brought into the arena.

...

Link shook off the guilt and sadness as he drew the Master Sword. He tried to convince himself that it wasn't really Juliàn, that it was some sort of demon in his new friend's body.

The Hylian warrior and the Mexican angel stared at each other for a short while. Neither said anything. Then they simultaneously charged at each other.

Their swords met each other with a clash of metal. Immediately after the clash, Juliàn pulled his sword back, whirled around a full 360 degrees, and attempted to slash Link's left side.

Link barely had time to counter. Juliàn moved so fast that Link didn't realize what he was doing until it was almost too late.

"It will only get faster from here, elf," Juliàn sneered, drawing his sword back from the awkward position it was in, locked at a standstill with Link's sword at Link's side.

Link struck at Juliàn's left arm, attempting to mimic what Marth had done to Hardin-stripping the skin off. Juliàn masterfully evaded the attack by ducking to the right, and from a crouching position, he slashed at Link's left leg.

"Owww..." Link glanced down for a split second and saw that his left thigh had been slit open crosswise. It hurt.

Juliàn then struck at Link's left arm. Link had to step backwards on his injured leg to avoid it. He winced at the searing pain.

Immediately after Link managed to block that attack, Juliàn whirled in a 360-degree turn to the right, similar to the move he'd used before, and slashed at Link's right leg.

Juliàn smiled lazily as Link staggered backwards. Now both of his thighs were split open. Still, grinding his teeth, Link managed to stay standing.

Juliàn then fell into a pattern, somewhat, of striking at both of Link's arms in a random order and forcing him backwards while he was at it, his speed growing with each strike. Link didn't know how he managed to block the slashes, which were now growing so fast he could hardly see them, but somehow he managed it.

Then Juliàn caught Link off guard. Maintaining the speed, he struck at Link's side again, his left side.

This time, Link was unable to block. He clenched his teeth together and winced in pain, quickly glancing down at his stinging side. He could see white bone gleaming through. To add to his despair, his legs felt as though they were about to crumble.

_If only my arms were as useful as my legs_, Link thought dejectedly. Then he had an idea. He wasn't sure that it would work, but it was an idea.

Quickly, before Juliàn could realize what he was doing, Link reached into his pocket and grabbed the Shadow Crystal.

...

His body still hurt in wolf form, but now he could attack differently. At swordplay, Juliàn was definitely more skilled. At battling a wolf, he was hopefully less skilled.

Link growled at Juliàn, who raised his blond eyebrows ever so slightly before shrugging and lunging at Link once again.

To dodge, Link jumped high into the air, ignoring the screams of pain from his legs, and struck at Juliàn's good right arm with his left paw. His arm was hurt in the process, but it didn't matter. Juliàn's dominant hand had been rendered useless.

Juliàn swore and switched his sword to his left hand. Link knew he wasn't ambidextrous-the blond Mexican actually looked unsure now, almost scared. Confidence and adrenaline seared through Link's veins, overriding the pain.

He ran at Juliàn and feinted to the left, then snapped at Juliàn's right side with his teeth. He tried to pull away before he tasted the blood, but it was no use. Link was sickened, but he kept fighting.

Juliàn managed to slash Link's back while they were close, but it didn't hinder Link much.

The next move would be the riskiest yet, Link thought as he began running at Juliàn again. Link swiped at Juliàn's left ankle this time. As Link expected, Juliàn struck at his back again. While the angel's arm was lowered, Link bit his wrist savagely, then took hold of his sword with his teeth and tossed it away.

Link jumped back as Juliàn fell to his knees, clutching his wrist in agony. Blood pooled all around him as he slumped to the floor.

Link quickly changed back to his human form, wiping his mouth and spitting. He could taste Juliàn's blood, and it made him sick.

He stared sadly at Juliàn's motionless body, wishing he could have ended it without causing his new friend so much pain. Link's own body hurt like hell, but he was nowhere near fainting. He could fight again.

Against the BEING.

...

When Link was returned to the stands, the first thing he did was rush to Juliana and try to comfort her.

"I'm sorry, little one, I'm sorry," Link said in a high, pleading voice. The little girl buried her head in her arms and refused to look at him. Link hung his head.

Pit patted his arm. "It's okay, man. It's okay. He'll be fine."

Juliàn's broken body was pinned up under the number 7 in the enemies' column, and a fifth tally mark was given to the Smashers.

That left Gharnef, Lilith, and the BEING. The only ones who hadn't fought were Pit, Pia, Shiida, Mist, and Lykei.

Pia bit her lip. Obviously Mist and Lykei couldn't fight. Did that mean that...?

"I'll fight Gharnef," Shiida said, a light of determination sparkling in her eyes.

"What? No way!" Marth exclaimed. "You don't have armor, you don't have a weapon, you don't-"

"She has a weapon," Lyn said. She lifted her slit dress slightly, revealing a hidden sword and scabbard.

"That's my old sword that I used before I got the Mani Katti and the Sol Katti," Lyn told Shiida as she handed her the nondescript blade.

"Thanks," Shiida said gratefully, beginning to stand.

"NO!" Marth pushed her back down again. "Shiida, do you realize that you're sending yourself in for suicide? You can't fight Gharnef, especially not like this! You need armor, a good blade... even _I _had some..." Marth blinked. "Help."

Marth put two fingers in his mouth and let out a loud wolf-whistle. In a small burst of flame, an orange-furred kitten appeared next to Shiida.

"Aw!" Shiida cooed, scratching the kitten under its chin.

"Stand back," Marth cautioned, then clapped his hands. "Up, Mistie!"

A larger burst of flame flared up, and then Mistie appeared in her demon form.

"Wow!" Shiida exclaimed as Mistie rubbed her head against Shiida's leg.

"You can ride her," Marth said, still sounding doubtful. "But you need some sort of-"

"Armor? I can provide that," a fairylike voice piped up. Everyone turned to see the shy Lykei grinning and holding a parcel-like thing in her arms.

"It's a Sacred Treasure, the Silver Armor," Lykei explained. "I also have the Light Arrows and the Wings of Icarus."

"And... you choose to tell us this _now_?" Pit asked indignantly.

Lykei blushed and looked down. "It never came up before. And you and Pia haven't fought yet."

"Heh, what luck!" Pit said with a smile. "I can use the Wings of Icarus. Excellent!"

"You sound like Samael," Marth said, wincing.

"Who's Samael?" Shiida asked as she outfitted herself with the glowing Silver Armor.

Marth shuddered, looking down. "You don't want to know."

After Shiida finished putting on the armor, she looked more like her old self again. It even molded to the shape of her old outfit, giving her a rather stylish appearance. Before, she had nothing. Now, using a few available resources, she actually had a chance. Mistie provided a mount, which Shiida was used to, Lyn had provided a common-yet-useful weapon, and Lykei had provided protection.

Shiida climbed onto Mistie's broad back and turned to face Gharnef.

"I'm ready," she said simply before disappearing.

...

The edges of Shiida's lips turned up in a smile as she realized that with the Silver Armor, Gharnef's devastating Imhullu spell was nothing more to her than simple Dark magic. It would still hinder her, sure, but it wouldn't make him invincible.

Unlike Juliàn, the dark wizard chose to begin the battle with a few words of scorn.

"Foolish girl... a slave for years, believing now that you can simply defeat me with nothing but a kitten and a rusty old sword?"

The thing that annoyed Shiida was that sometime later, she would think up a perfect, biting, witty comeback. But for now she had nothing. She didn't want to mince words; she just wanted to fight. So she did.

Shiida, riding the airborne Mistie, streaked down at Gharnef from high in the air. As she expected, he shot a blast of dark, morbid Imhullu magic straight at her. Shiida masterfully pulled Mistie slightly backwards and far to the left, then put on an extra burst of speed, then held her sword out to the right, slashing the zombielike mage clean through the arm.

Shiida's stomach lurched as she heard Gharnef's severed arm thud to the floor. She swallowed and quickly guided Mistie upwards as Gharnef angrily shot another, larger blast of Imhullu her way. Shiida and Mistie narrowly dodged, with Mistie only getting caught by her back legs. The aura of the Silver Armor prevented her from getting seriously hurt, though.

Shiida and Mistie hovered in the air a bit longer. Shiida bit her lip and tried to formulate a plan. Then it hit her.

She ordered Mistie to streak down at Gharnef once more. He sent a huge blast of Imhullu straight toward her, but she somehow managed to evade. She directed Mistie to the right, then jumped off her back and plummeted to the ground. She hit the ground running, running straight at Gharnef.

Before the shocked Gharnef could counter, Shiida had engaged him in a close combat. She knocked the dark tome out of his gnarled hand, then stabbed him in the chest.

Plop.

The evil wizard unceremoniously crumpled to the ground. It was shocking for its lack of drama. But unlike her lover, Marth, Shiida was not one to hold a deep grudge over revenge or drag out a battle of revenge. She simply got the job done and felt that justice had been served.

And, yeah, the revenge was nice too.

...

"Damn. It." Shiida crossed her armored arms and legs angrily as she returned to her seat after the almost disappointingly short fight.

"What?" Marth asked, immediately rushing to her side.

"I just came up with a great comeback," the beautiful princess pouted.

Marth laughed once, with humor.

Gharnef's decaying body was pinned up under the enemies' number 8. A sixth tally mark was given to the Smashers.

That left the two biggies. Lilith... and the BEING.

**Alright. I know, it's very very late. But I've had a lot on my plate lately. And besides, I only got TWO REVIEWS last time. AND THAT WAS ON MY BIRTHDAY! Well, it's better than nothing. I'll take that back, I shouldn't whine. But thanks anyway, NomadGirl12 and Foxpilot!**

**Now, about the actual chapter: I'm quite proud of Lyn's fight. Ike's fight was fun to write as well-once again, credits to Pikana for Ike's adversary. Link's fight was probably the best in my opinion. I'm very proud of it. Shiida's-a little short and a little cheap. But it was a great little surprise and table-turn.**

**Hoping for nice reviews! Bye now!~~ES**


	78. Pia's Moment of Glory

**Lookie, lookie, Foxpilot! I used their names less often (hopefully)!**

Pia drew her second axe, gripping both of them tightly in her hands. She looked at the lone blonde figure sitting in the enemies' stands. Thanks to Pit's energy-sucking, Yurius, Ashliela, and Zephiel had fainted. It was down to the two of them, then the BEING.

The blonde bombshell smiled deviously. "I suppose you think that you're going to beat me." She crossed her legs and examined her fingernails.

The temperamental brunette stewed in her seat. _I will not lose my temper. I will not blow up. I will not lose my temper._

"Stop fooling yourself. You can't win at _anything_. Seriously, I've never even seen you fight. You're such a poser. And you're a hypocrite. I mean, you say you hate not knowing about things, but you keep secrets from Pit for as long as you want."

"I may be low," Pia said in a voice that was shaking with suppressed rage. "But I'm not as low as you."

Lilith laughed, widening her eyes incredulously at the steaming Pia. "Are you serious? That's the best you can do? I-"

"At least," Pia growled, "I'm not all talk like you are."

The unlikely mastermind giggled again, then sighed. "What-_ever_. I say we fight now. And this time, _I'll _win."

...

Pia didn't like stereotypes. And this was shaping up to be a very stereotypical battle. The hot-and-evil popular girl taunting the lowly ponytailed rookie into embarrassing herself, as she actually had many a time during school. Pia thought of a way she could break out of the stereotype, then smiled at discovering the answer. She had something that none of those awkward, unpopular, shy, ponytailed girls in all those chick-flicks had.

She had confidence.

Lilith might have been a surprisingly smart and cocky beeyotch, but Pia had confidence.

"I've noticed you haven't started fighting yet," Pia said with what she hoped was a relaxed smile, although she was internally fighting to keep her raging temper in check. "Whatsa matter?"

"I'm waiting for _you_," Lilith smirked as she drew two katana swords. "Surely a _warrior_..." Lilith sketched quotation marks around the words with her fingers, "like you would know that only a moron makes the first move."

Pia knew that Lilith expected her to counter with a crack about how _Lilith _was the moron. So she didn't.

"I'm sure someone as _smart _as you would know that only cowards attack second," the testy brunette said before charging with her axes in hand.

Pia smashed into Lilith's twin katanas with her axes crossed. Lilith's katanas were also crossed, making the standstill look somewhat like a giant asterisk or a multiplication symbol.

The blonde smirked and attempted to dispel Pia with a hard push, but instead, Pia used a common yet reliable tactic of the Smashers and kicked Lilith in the stomach.

However, Pia had kicked a little too high, almost losing her balance and causing the asterisk of axes and katanas to crumple. Lilith grabbed Pia's foot and yanked it upwards, causing Pia to fall to the ground, feeling stupid and supremely embarrassed.

The feisty brunette looked up to see Lilith standing above her with both katanas raised.

"No. Way. In. _Hell_!" The fallen girl growled.

Pia grabbed Lilith by the legs, pulling her to the ground as well. Without wasting a second, Pia jumped on Lilith like an angry bird attacking a pig, tearing at her flowing blond hair with all her might with one hand and repeatedly punching her in the arm with the other.

Lilith shrieked, finally breaking out of her cool facade, let go of her katanas, and punched Pia in the nose.

The axe-wielder let out an anguished scream, then bit Lilith on the arm. The katana-wielder gasped in surprise, contorting her face into an angry frown, then grabbed hold of Pia's thick dark hair and started yanking on it, hard.

Pia rolled over so Lilith was on top, attempting to crush the blonde's hair-pulling hands under her head. It wasn't working. Although she was fond of catfights, Pia needed to end it soon. She thought wildly for a moment, then remembered an awesome fight scene from one of her favorite movies.

The smart brunette sighed, closed her eyes tightly, then laced her hands around the back of the skinny blonde's head, pulled it down, and kissed her.

It lasted about four seconds. Just as Pia expected, Lilith was so shocked that her iron grip on Pia's dark hair loosened considerably. Pia then punched her in the windpipe with all of her might, then rolled to the side as the haughty, cocky blonde fell flat on her face.

The inventive Pia sprang to her feet, grabbing her fallen axes in the process, then stepped back about a foot. As she expected, Lilith made a grab for her feet, but missed.

The sniveling blonde kneeled on the ground, wiping her nose and making little squeaks and gasps as she massaged her throat.

"You are... such a... unfair fighter! That's so... cheap!"

That remark made Pia even angrier. "There's really no such thing as 'cheap,'" she said wisely. "That's like saying the fight's unfair because the winner was actually a better fighter than you. Not 'cause they 'fight cheap.'"

"You're such a bitch."

"Takes one to know one." Pia charged at Lilith again, then realized that she had a new problem.

Pia didn't fight much, but she was skilled with axes and knew a thing or two about fighting with them. She knew that it was very difficult to simply render someone unconscious with an axe. You'd probably end up killing them. And even as mean and evil as Lilith was, Pia really didn't want to do that.

Then she came up with an idea.

But before she could put it into action, Lilith rolled to the side and grabbed her fallen katanas, slashing Pia's ankle with one as she nimbly got to her feet.

"Ahh! Ow!" Pia swore and swung blindly at her fast-moving adversary's shoulder, then used her other axe to block Lilith's katana. She jumped backwards a bit, then ducked slightly and rushed at Lilith again. The blonde blocked her in the same asterisk-producing way as before, which Pia had expected.

Pia had ducked to get more momentum if Lilith happened to block her that way again. Using her strong leg muscles as well as her weaker arms, the brunette managed to force the blonde backwards. As Lilith unwillingly raised her left foot to step back, Pia shoved her off balance by kicking her hard in her right knee.

Losing her balance, the top-heavy blonde fell flat on her face. Immediately, her dark-haired adversary leapt forward and pressed her to the ground with her foot. Finally able to put the idea she'd had before into action, she rotated one axe around and jabbed Lilith in the back of the neck with the blunt end of the axe.

Through a bout of sheer luck, the rookie warrior managed to hit a key nerve or pressure point or _something _in the back of the cocky mastermind's neck, because she went limp. Although being a bit inexperienced, Pia knew better than to assume the fight was over. She could be faking.

Pia then decided to score the ultimate prize of victory, the most low-down, dirtiest tactic she'd ever exhibited, outranking even the kiss. It was also a foolproof way to tell if Lilith was really knocked out or simply faking, because if she was faking, what Pia was about to do would _definitely _wake her up.

The young angel grabbed a huge handful of Lilith's flowing, ankle-length flaxen hair and, working sloppily with one of her axes, sawed it all off, leaving the blonde with a jagged, unflattering pixie cut.

Lilith didn't stir, even though Pia had been yanking pretty hard on her hair.

Pia blinked. Then she cautiously got up, opened Lilith's eye, and poked it. Then she kicked her a few times. Then she jumped up and down on her back, gaining height and excitement with every jump.

"Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay!" She shrieked, deliriously happy, not even believing it was real. "_Yay_! _Yay_! _Yay_! _Yay_! _Yay_!"

The victorious leader of the Smashers waved the long lock of blond hair over her head like it was the greatest prize she'd ever won.

"YAY! YAY! YAY! YAY! YAY!"

...

"Um... wow?" Pit looked like he was at a loss for words as he gaped unbelievingly at Pia.

"Um... double wow?" Ike seconded, giving Pia a big, bone-crushing hug. The girl looked like she was in heaven as she proudly displayed Lilith's severed hair to her friends.

"The kiss? Where did that even _come _from? You were _brilliant_!" Marth said, smiling almost as widely as he had when he had discovered that Shiida was alive.

"Even more brilliant than Samus!" Link said incredulously, remembering the word "brilliant" from a long time ago. How far the broken-winged angel had come since he and the brilliant Samus had first figured out her identity!

"You GO, girl!" Shiida said, jumping up and high-fiving Pia.

"Woo-hoo! Go Pia! Go Pia!" Lyn sang, gyrating her hips.

Pia snapped out of the euphoria first when she happened to glance at the empty arena. Her jubilant, victorious smile slipped off her face and crashed to the floor, where it shattered into a thousand pieces.

"Guys?" She whispered, clutching Pit's arm in fear. "Look."

The team followed Pia's terror-struck gaze all the way to the top of the domed arena.

Hovering there was the BEING.

**Short, but hey, satisfying! And if this fight seemed short, it actually wasn't. It was just about as long as all the others, and it just seemed short 'cause it was all by itself. And now for the big kahuna battle with the BEING, which will take MUUUCH longer to write. Please review!**


	79. The Final Battle

***Gasp, wheeze.* S-so... much... to say... but I'll... put it... *deep breath* at the end. *Can't breathe-cramps!* Here are... the... proper instructions... for reading this chapter.**

**Go on YouTube.**

**Type in "One-Winged Angel."**

**Play it.**

**Open a new tab and read this chapter while listening to One-Winged Angel.**

**En. Freaking. Joy.**

**EDIT: GAH. STUPID SITE. IT SCREWED UP MY WORK. I AM SORRY TO THOSE OF YOU WHO ALREADY READ THIS. ALL OF MY ITALICS WERE SCREWED UP. SUCH BS.**

The team gulped.

The BEING's indescribable form began to change, morphing into a glowing, blue body of physical perfection. It was a horribly familiar form, and one that struck instant fear into the hearts of all the Brawlers.

"Dr. Manhattan," Pia whispered in awe.

Ike looked at her like she was crazy. "What? No! It's Tabuu, stupid!"

"Well, actually, it technically could be Dr. Manhattan..." Lyn mused, trying to ease her screaming nerves.

"GUYS! FOCUS!" Pit roared, shocking everyone into obedient silence.

"Guys. I can do this. Honestly. All it takes is a little..." Pit clasped his hands together and closed his eyes. "Manipulation."

Pit slowly opened his hands. Resting in the middle of them was an orb of the most radiant and beautiful rainbow-tinted white light any of them had ever seen. They all stood there, mesmerized, drinking in the lovely sight with their eyes.

"You can't simply run at the BEING," Pit began, his closed eyes seeming to glow. "You can't attack by ordinary, physical, human means. You need to exist on a higher plane. And to do that, you need _energy_."

The light in Pit's hands began to melt, flowing like a gaseous stream into each person present.

"You all have raw energy. It resides within each of you. But you can't harness it. Not without my help. All I'm doing is harnessing that energy-unlocking it. So you can use it. To fight the BEING."

Abruptly, Pit swore loudly and stamped his foot on the ground, creating a large crack.

"What?" Pia asked, starting. She had been lost in the moment, but it hadn't taken much to snap her back. That was unusual.

"There isn't enough." Pit rubbed his temples in deep concentration. "I can't harness the full extent of everyone's-I'm spreading it too thin." He paused. "Tell me what you think, you guys. Would you rather have less fighters and more power or more power and less fighters?"

Before anyone could respond, a small, outspoken voice answered.

"More power." Lykei was quiet as always, but her voice didn't shake or sound shy. "You five need only each other. You can do it. You know you have to, Pit."

Lyn, Shiida, and Mist nodded, stepping backwards along with the albino angel.

"It's your fight, Ike. All of you," Lyn said in her genteel Southern drawl.

Shiida silently gave Marth one last kiss, then stared into his eyes. They passed an unexplainable, silent exchange of love, and then Shiida stepped away.

Mist leapt into her brother's arms and gave him a big hug, overflowing with love and worry. Ike's face was pensive, serene and serious, his eyes closed. Mist's face was screwed up, tear-streaked, her teeth clenched. You would have thought that the big-eyed girl was the one going into a near-impossible battle. Eventually, she stepped back and grabbed Lyn's hand tightly.

Link closed his eyes and pictured Zelda's face, trying with all his might to communicate with her. He could almost hear her voice encouraging him.

_You __can __do __it_.

Link whispered it aloud.

"Now," Pit murmured, joining hands with Marth and Pia. Ike and Link grabbed the other hands of the prince and angel, linking them all together.

The original five stood in a circle, a feeling of calm and power washing over them as Pit's magic released their energy.

Marth became surrounded in a shimmering blue aura. His eyes began glowing a bright sapphire color-the color of his eyes, intensified a hundred times over.

Ike's aura was a powerful, fiery red. His grayish blue eyes seemed to grow brighter and clearer, and then they filmed over with an angry orange color.

Link, obviously, was enshrouded in green. His ice-blue eyes had been closed, but when he opened them, they radiated a deep emerald color.

Pia's aura was a blazing gold. Her eyes were a determined shade of the precious metal, staring at the ground as if she were planning something.

And Pit, the releaser of all the powers, his aura was the absense of color. Plain, pure, simple white. His eyes, reminiscent of Samael's, were an intense ivory, and he was staring at the sky-his home.

Then, all of the colors combined, and in a burst of black light, the five were gone.

...

Marth was first.

He was standing in an expanse of darkness. Purgatory had been white. The Underworld had been red. And now, the final battle, the FINAL final battle, was black.

Standing there, glowing with his azure energy, the prince lifted his shining sapphire eyes to the place where the sky would have been if it wasn't all black.

_Marth_.

He expected himself to start, but he didn't. He felt like he was expecting the small voice in his head.

It was his own voice.

_Marth, your skill is speed. Use it well._

"I will," Marth whispered, his voice more powerful than he ever remembered it being.

The brave Altean willed himself to rise into the air. As he rose, he saw it. Hovering in front of him. Waiting for him.

The BEING.

Marth gritted his teeth and readied his blue-glowing sword.

The two regarded each other for a moment. Then the BEING struck.

It shot toward Marth at the speed of a bullet, its bluish-green hand transforming into a black dagger.

Dodging it was child's play. Marth shot upwards to the left, then immediately shot back down again. He just managed to slash the BEING's computerized-looking foot, releasing a shower of pixels.

Marth quickly realized that his heightened speed was a huge factor in the battle. The BEING may have been all-powerful, but it was no match for Marth's agility.

That being said, it was still stronger and had better endurance than him. So if it caught him even once, he was probably done for.

Marth struck again, this time straight at the shining orb in the middle of the Negative God's chest. The BEING simply disappeared. Immediately, the prince whirled around and sped to the area behind him, all in one fluid motion.

The sword connected.

The Altean felt a satisfying jolt as his weapon rammed into the orb. Then the jolt became a jolt of electricity as the angry BEING hurled a shower of lightning bolts at Marth.

Instead of ducking, jumping, or falling backwards as he normally would after being injured, Marth shook it off and shot upwards towards his adversary.

The BEING blocked the Falchion by morphing its arms into twin blades and crossing them over its chest. It then dispelled Marth by thrusting its blades and Marth's sword away, then managed to stab the blue-shrouded prince squarely in the chest.

Marth felt a large bit of his energy deplete.

Shaking off the pain again, he rolled to the side just in time to avoid being snapped up by the BEING's claw-like arm. The prince then sprang up with his sword lowered, then, as he gained momentum, he quickly brought the sword upwards to slash off the BEING's claw-arm. He didn't quite make his target, but he did manage to strike the other leg of the glowing blue presence, a little higher than before.

Tons of mechanically tinkling pixels flew from the BEING as it let out a screech of... pain? Annoyance? Marth didn't know, but he guessed it was anger.

He guessed correctly.

Dozens of cone-shaped spears suddenly protruded from the BEING and honed in on the Altean. Marth hopped in and out, above and around the deadly harpoons, so fast he was nothing but a blue blur. As soon as he saw his chance, he fell to the ground.

The BEING almost looked confused, which gave Marth a surge of confidence.

Using the floor to gain momentum, Marth stomped down hard and shot into the air faster than a speeding bullet. The prince's sword was drawn back as far as his arm could reach, and just when he was about to collide with the luminous Negative God, he swung his loyal Falchion forward and pierced the BEING's vulnerable chest with the very tip of his sword.

The BEING howled again, even more horribly than before, and slammed Marth to the ground with an inescapable sheet of black energy.

It was as though he was being smothered, suffocated in a blanket of darkness. He couldn't move, and he felt his energy draining away.

It was as if Marth had been a little bee, perilously buzzing around a giant spider. He could sting and sting, but once the spider hit him once, it was all over.

Marth's eerie, glowing blue eyes faded back to his normal, cool sapphire.

Then they closed.

But not for good.

...

Ike, enshrouded in his crimson aura, burst into the ominous black battlefield in a whirlwind of fire. He was eager, impatient to begin.

_Ike_.

"Wha-wha-wha-what? Wh-who said that? BEING! I'm ready! Show yourself!"

_Ike_.

"Who are-? Oh. Wait. That's my own voice..." Ike scratched his head sheepishly. "Yeah? What?"

_Ike_, his voice went on patiently. _Ike, __your __skill__is __strength. __Use __it __well_.

Ike nodded determinedly, the silliness immediately dissipating. "I will."

The blue-haired mercenary stomped on the ground and shot up into the air. Soon, he was at eye level with the BEING.

Ike wasted no time in lunging wildly at the BEING and striking it with all the strength he could muster. The shimmery bluish form crossed its arms over its chest to protect itself, but Ike still managed to wound it.

As it had when Marth abruptly dropped to the ground, the BEING looked almost confused.

The powerful commander seized upon the opportunity with delirium, rising higher into the air and bringing down his heavy golden sword on the BEING's head. Ike barely felt a connection before the BEING dematerialized. The slightly slow mercenary looked around wildly, then felt a jarring pain in his back which seared into his abdomen.

Ike looked down and felt sick. The BEING's bluish-green hand had entered through his lower back and gone straight out his stomach. Weakly yet determinedly, the bluenette managed to swing his sword all the way around in his signature, powerful roundhouse slash, aiming at the evil conglomeration's neck.

The angle was off, but the jolt was satisfying. Pushing a little harder while he could still feel pressure on his sword (the BEING seemed insubstantial-not really all there, flickery and transparent, like it could simply disappear at any second), Ike managed to shove the BEING away from him, along with its dagger-like hand that was lodged in his stomach.

Ike fell to the ground and tried to recover.

_Your__skill__is__strength_.

A reminder. Not pushy, just helpful and confident.

Ike decided to test that strength. He knelt down, gripped his sword tightly, and _focused_. He could feel the great rush of energy spreading through his already-energized body. The bluenette felt electrified. He felt so strong that he needed to dispel some of the power.

Letting out a low battle cry, Ike charged at the BEING with all of his might.

It connected.

And it felt great.

Ike felt nothing but satisfaction-no sense of the consequences yet. The blade hit the slightly-vulnerable chest of the BEING perfectly, and Ike knew-just _knew_-that he had evaporated a huge chunk of its power.

Unfortunately, after the moment passed, Ike could feel his own energy depleting, slowly at first, then rapidly.

The great swordsman sank to the ground in exhaustion. The BEING didn't even need to strike a death blow; Ike simply finished himself.

As Ike faded into unconsciousness, he silently counted that as a personal victory.

...

Link was next.

He landed with the agility of a cat, keeping his eyes closed, absorbing his surroundings with his sense of touch.

_Link_.

Link barely registered the cool, vaguely familiar voice.

_Link, __your __skill __is i__ntelligence. __Use __it __well_.

The green-clothed swordsman nodded once, slowly. Instead of leaping at the BEING, he made the BEING come to him. He waited, crouching tensely.

Not until he could sense its shimmering, crackling form with his sensitive ears did Link open his glowing emerald eyes.

He leapt backwards, choosing to make the best of his abilities and use his long-distance weapons for this fight. The warrior loaded a green-glowing arrow into his new-looking, polished Hero's Bow and let it fly.

It was beautiful.

The fast-flying arrow pierced the BEING squarely on its foot, and Link was able to use his old favorite, the roll, to dodge its retaliating shower of electrified rain.

The warrior then changed his weapon, pulling out the Gale Boomerang. He drew his hand as far back as it went and hurled the boomerang as far as he could-and missed the BEING by miles.

It let out a laugh that seemed like the freezing wind at night, taunting you as you tried to find your way home out of the elements.

Its joy was short-lived.

Like the green bird in that famous game about the irate avians, the boomerang struck the BEING from the back with even more power than it would have had from the front.

Oddly, after the initial shock of the blow, the entity seemed to relax a little bit. Link saw why when the weapon melted through its insubstantial body and came spiraling back at him. Not a second too soon, Link rolled to the side. The boomerang struck the place he had been standing with such force that the hero's faithful weapon was destroyed. Shattered bits of wood scattered across the ground for a split second before disintegrating into the blackness.

Link felt a little stab of sadness. The boomerang had served him well, and he would miss it. But this was no place for idle sorrow.

The green-clothed hero reached for another weapon-his extensive arsenal of bombs. Although he knew that he couldn't really be _deprived_of any of his variety of weapons, he wondered if they'd still work in the outer-space-like environment.

Thankfully, the numerous bombs not only worked-they worked _well_. The quick-thinking Hylian formulated a plan. Although speed was not ranked high amongst his virtues, he would have to utilize it for the risky idea.

He couldn't really see it, but Link imagined a perimeter around the battlefield with his mind's eye. Keeping it in mind, he began to dash around it, inconspiciously tossing bomb after bomb behind him.

The BEING was gaining on him.

Link willed himself to run faster. Just one more lap around-

It _almost _worked.

Right on cue, the first bombs began exploding, hindering the BEING's progress and depleting its energy. Unfortunately, Link didn't realize that fact or just how slow he was getting until one of his own bombs detonated right underneath him.

The green-hued warrior felt as though he was being torn to pieces. He lay shredded and beaten on the ground as the great entity hovered above him. He could feel his emerald aura flickering, fading...

_It__'__s __not __over __yet_, Link thought grimly as he realized that there was one vital weapon he had neglected to use. Summoning every ounce of power he could muster, the hero reached behind him and drew his old, faithful blade.

Link took his time determining how hard and at what angle he'd need to throw it, and then hurled the Master Sword with all his might at the BEING.

It wasn't a _great _hit-it struck right near the entity's shoulder instead of its chest-but for a half-dead Hylian, it wasn't half bad.

And Link felt triumphant as his glowing green eyes faded to icy blue and closed.

...

The next battle was short, sweet, and significant.

Pia felt a whirlwind of emotions as she descended to the supposed battlefield. Fear. Uncertainty. A thirst to prove herself. Anxiety. Eagerness. More uncertainty.

_Pia_.

Instantly, the young angel's heart started pounding a little slower.

_Pia, your skill is tenacity. Use it well._

"'Kay," Pia said, jittery, aloud. She gulped as she looked upwards into the ominous black-and the glowing blue cloud that marked the BEING's position.

The blue stormcloud reminded Pia of her own golden aura, which gave her a surge of pride and confidence. She stamped on the ground and soared upwards to meet her rival.

_Tenacity_.

She wouldn't give up until her body wore out, but that could be a very short amount of time.

Nevertheless, Pia knew she needed to try, and try hard. Although she never really liked using it, she drew her shining, gold-and-white bow and loaded an arrow. She wanted to start out with a long-distance attack.

The nervous angel fired three golden arrows in quick succession, one straight at the BEING and one two either side. As she expected (and was proud of herself for foreseeing), it simply rose higher, preparing to dive at her.

As the evil deity executed the action, its hand morphing into a curved black dagger as it shot with an unnatural speed straight at the young girl, she quickly sped straight ahead, pivoted in midair, and slashed its back with her two daggers.

She was proud of herself for landing a hit, but knew not to let it go to her head. She ducked out of the way just in time as the BEING turned and blindly struck with his hand-dagger at the place she'd been hovering.

The young warrior quickly put away the cumbersome bow and drew her favored axes. Trying out an experimental new move, knowing the risks, she hurled one at the Negative God like a boomerang.

It simply passed right through its flickering form, and Pia didn't waste a second in diving after it. She managed to grab it, but was a tad too slow in recovering and turning around.

The great BEING caught her across the back with a bunch of what seemed like tiny, sharp, poisoned pins. Pia winced as hot, piercing pain spread throughout her body.

She ached as she stood up, the golden aura around her oddly growing brighter, and faced the BEING. Then she did something that seemed immature and strange.

She executed the same move she'd just done-throwing one axe at her opponent while keeping the other in her hand-as if she expected it to work this time.

Once again, she shot towards her wayward axe-and then disappeared.

As the BEING turned in midair to search for her, a gloating voice cried out and the Negative God was struck in the vulnerable chest by a strong steel axe.

A grimly smiling Pia held out her empty hand and the other axe materialized there. Without missing a beat, she took a risky move (it would leave her vulnerable) and hurled both her axes at the BEING.

It was the best of shots, it was the worst of shots.

On the plus side, both axes made a perfect, square hit right in the center of the entity's chest. On the not-so-plus side, Pia's axes didn't return fast enough for her to defend herself. Before she could dodge of do anything, the BEING's arms turned to black daggers and it slashed her twice across the chest.

With the young warrior being rather weak, it was all the BEING needed to do to fell her. She crumpled to the ground, the golden aura finally fading.

Her thoughts before unconsciousness were: _I __did __my __best_.

...

Pit was last.

He needed to focus. He needed to let go of any worries or hinderances or anything that would deter him from his goal. He was the last one. There was no one after him to finish the job.

_Pit_.

He had expected it, so it didn't startle him. It calmed him, eased his nerves.

_Pit, __your __skill i__s __power. __Use __it __well_.

Pit nodded once. _Power_. To use however he wished.

Pit flew up high into the air, his wings, for once, not failing him. He stared directly at the BEING with his pure white eyes. The angel felt as though his vision, senses and reflexes were all enhanced.

Pit split his bow into two and flew at the great entity, taking the risky and direct approach. The BEING countered by using one black hand-dagger to defend its chest and one to strike at its oncoming attacker. The heroic angel used the same tactic. He blocked one of the entity's daggers with the bow-piece in his weaker right hand, then slashed a different part of its luminescent body than he had originally intended.

The effect of the slightly botched attack wasn't as great as it would have been had Pit managed to strike his original target, the chest, but it still considerably wounded the BEING, sending forth a spray of pixels. Not missing a beat, the commander joined his bow and threw it like a sharp, deadly boomerang straight at the hovering entity.

The Negative God dodged the attack by cheaply disappearing and reappearing an inch in front of Pit. The usually brave angel was largely taken aback by the evil entity's terrifying black eye sockets. But this was no place for fear.

The BEING reared its hand-dagger back and prepared to pierce Pit squarely in the chest, but the young angel did something that seemed to visibly ruffle the dark entity.

Using only a fraction of his hidden strength, Pit was able to shoot out his hand and stop the BEING's hand-dagger right in its path by grabbing onto it and holding it in place. Before Pit's all-powerful adversary could do anything, the angel's bow returned right on cue, slamming into the BEING's back.

Pit held out his hand and his trusty weapon landed in it. As soon as it did, he took off with another attack. Separating the bow once again, he wildly struck at his supremely evil opponent as fast as he possibly could. The more he struck, the faster and more powerful the blows became.

The BEING seemed taken aback by the insane display of power the child-like angel was displaying, but somewhere in the haze of daggers, it managed to raise its arms, preparing to dispel the pest with the same blanket of black energy that had felled Marth.

Unfortunately for the Negative God, Pit saw it coming from a mile away.

He lay in wait, not letting up on his strikes, until the last possible second. As the BEING was about to cast the sheet of dark magic over him, the angel shot into the air, so high that the BEING almost seemed to become a blue dot in the endless expanse of black.

Excitement and adrenaline coursed through Pit's veins. The move he was about to execute was risky and had a 98.5% failure rate, but he had to try. And it would be fun.

The smart young commander angled himself downwards and streaked towards the BEING like a bullet. Then faster than a bullet. Almost as fast as light, which was essentially was Pit was.

Incredibly, it worked.

He landed a square, solid hit on the astounded BEING's chest. He could feel the great shock of impact as his bow made the connection. The evil entity let out what could only be described as a death rattle.

At the moment, Pit had no idea how he'd managed to pull it off. Later, he realized that it was _everything_-power of his, tenacity of Pia's, intelligence of Link's, strength of Ike's, and speed of Marth's-that had allowed him to win. All of them and all their skills.

The BEING writhed in agony, pixels spilling out from every direction as the horrible entity met its fitting demise. Pit saw a last oppurtunity and took it.

He couched down on the ground, the sprang up, his form strong and true. He raised his bow and passed right through the BEING as its body collapsed.

It was the final blow.

That was it.

It was over.

The BEING let out one last screech and then exploded. Pit shielded his eyes and shut them tightly.

When he cautiously opened them again, the black floor under his fingers seemed to be fading, shrinking away to reveal bright, fresh, soft green grass and delicate white flowers.

Pit turned his head to the side in wonder and saw Pia lying there, slowly beginning to lift her head. Her expression was once of sheer relief and incredulity, and he knew his must have looked the same. Her eyes were huge and her mouth was slightly agape. As their eyes met, both their lips turned up into wide, open-mouthed smiles.

Both of them looked to the right, where a shaky Marth was pulling himself up to a kneeling position. His dark blue eyes held a light that neither of them had ever seen before, not in anyone's eyes, especially not those of the formerly silently defeated Marth. It was the fragile light of hope.

Behind Marth, Ike was just sitting up, rubbing his head with a slight wince in a truly comforting, Ikeinine motion. Soon, though, he lifted his head and his familiar grin slowly grew until it was wider than Pit's and Pia's combined.

Link was kneeling pensively behind Pit. His eyes, instead of their usual tense, icy, calculating look, seemed to have finally melted into pools of blue. Tears were also running down from them, and he was smiling and laughing quietly.

Mist, Shiida, Lyn, Yuria, and Lykei were there too, their hands clapped over their mouths. They were shaking and gasping.

Pia started it.

In a truly Pia-like way of celebration, she simply started screaming.

She screamed on her own for about five seconds before she was joined by Ike, Pit, and Lyn, and then everyone else.

Some words were mixed in as well.

"We did it! _We __did __it_!" Ike declared in triumph. It was all he had time to say before Lyn and Mist leapt into his open arms and huggled him for all they were worth.

"It's over!" Pit yelled as he danced around with Pia. "It's over!"

"We won!" Marth and Shiida shouted in unison. Then they fell over.

The noise abruptly died down as everyone turned to see the cause of their topple. But they soon saw that there was no need to worry.

A mischieviously grinning redhead was peering up from atop the felled, but smiling, lovers. His blue eyes were alight with the joy of youth and even his cute freckles stood out a bit.

"ROY!" Everyone screamed. Then, their already-full hearts overflowing, they noticed Celice, Aegeus, Agamemnon and Ashliela and everyone else that had been captured running towards them at top speed.

"Marth! You did it! You did it!" Catria shrieked, finally losing the stuffy title of "prince" and getting a long-coveted Marth-hug.

"Master Roy! I've never been prouder!" Roy let out a good-humored sigh at Wolt's customary title for him, but still hugged his milk-brother tightly.

"Where are we, anyway?" Aegeus asked, pausing in his hug with Lykei.

"Leave it to you to ask the boring questions at a happy time," a teary Ashliela giggled.

"It's-this is-" Marth choked, noticing his surroundings. "It's... the Isle of the Ancients! It had disappeared when we fought Tabuu, r-remember? It got destroyed by Subspace. But it's back!" He tilted his head up to the beautifully blue sky. "_Everything__'__s_ happy!"

The laughter and screams of joy continued. There was no room for dignity or thoughts of the consequences or the work that still needed to be done or the unfinished questions.

It was over.

It was finally over.

And they had won.

**Sniff... sniffle... WAAAHHHH-HA-HA! I MISSED ALL OF YOU GUYS AND YOU PROBABLY MISSED ME RIGHT? RIGHT?**

**Anyways! I'm very sorry I took so long! Obviously! The reason I was so out-of-breath was because I just finished two months of long, hard cross-country running! And it interfered with my writing but NOW I'M BACK! And also... yeah... oh I remember! My one-year anniversary on this site was a couple of weeks ago. This story has been up for almost a year now! GEE-ZUS! Talk about dedication! Anyway, you know my favorite FF phrase... PLEASE REVIEW!~~ES**

**ALSO! In the next chapter the fourth wall will be somewhat SHATTERED! Please send me all your OCs and their descriptions and I will use them in the next chapter! Thanks so much!~~ES**


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